Hello yet again! This chapter will go somewhat out of order, showing you the events non-chronologically. Just a heads up, haha.
Also, check out the awesome art of Bumblebee and Brielle on my author's page! :D
Please enjoy!
That Four Lettered Word
Prime and Ratchet led the way down the Nevada highway. Their wheels rotated at impossible speeds that could only be accomplished by an alien engine underneath their hoods. They would've slowed down for Will and his team's Jeep to catch up, but the situation called for immediate action. Not long after they hit the road, a monstrous black Topkick joined their midst, confirming to Will that Annabelle was safe with her mother.
:I fear Brielle will attempt to escape: Ratchet commented via comm.
Optimus didn't skip a beat as he matter-of-factly said, :I believe she will:
Ironhide and Ratchet didn't know what to make of Prime's nonchalance. It almost sounded as if he wanted her to escape. :I think we should contact Bumblebee and warn him:
:That won't be necessary: Prime calmly interjected.
It was Ironhide that spoke next. :That human is either incredibly brave or incredibly reckless. She'd leap into battle without a second thought!:
A mechanical snort came from Optimus. :Does that sound any different than any of us?:
The black mech grunted, unable to answer. Prime was right, but Ratchet's spark churned at the thought of unnecessary injury.
:We should alert Bumblebee so he can take necessary precautions-:
:I don't think Bumblebee needs us to tell him that, old friend,: the Prime calmly explained, :Bumblebee has an . . . interesting attachment to Ambrielle:
Ironhide and Ratchet definitely noticed. The scout was strangely protective of the girl, and she of the scout. It was a link that could only be described as raw and innocent, as if they were born with pure, primal instinct to protect like a mother Cheetah to her cubs. Of course Bumblebee had the urge to protect his charge Sam and his mate Mikaela, but the ferocity behind his protection was distinctly different. It was something none of the Autobots could rightly decipher.
Lennox contacted Optimus via radio. "We got an Energon reading. It's coming our way and it's coming fast!"
Just as Lennox finished speaking, a girl on a motorcycle came rushing towards them, making Ironhide rumble with frustration (humans were always in the way!).
Not only was there a girl on a motorcycle two times too big for her, she was being chased by a purple Honda that was two times too small to even be a Civic. Suddenly, the Civic's bumper whammed against the motorcyclist's back tire, making her swerve violently. The bike flew off the road at alarming speeds and ran into a jagged rock. The swift force of impact sent the brunette flying over the handles and onto the hot desert sand.
'Shit shit shit shit shit.'
The wind burned her eyes which made Marie blink furiously. Her blood turned to black sludge in her veins as she gripped the bike's handles as hard as she could. It might not have been the brightest idea to steal dad's Harley, but when faced with a human-sized robot from hell that wanted her face for dinner, it seemed like a small sacrifice.
It all happened so quickly. One minute, Marie had unearthed information about Cybertronian weaponry, the next; she thought she was experiencing an earthquake. She would have headed for safety if she didn't hear the metallic cackling afterwards.
The robot was the smallest Decepticon she'd ever seen, not that she's seen a Decepticon before, but Marie wasn't expecting a robot standing a little over seven feet tall (and with a purple paint job).
"I can smell ya, fleshbag!" the 'Con shouted just before using his pile drivers-for-hands to demolish the Pipers' front door. That was Marie's cue to grab her drive and her notebook, sneak out of her window, and find the nearest mode of transportation.
"Of all the days for Brielle and Bumblebee to be gone!" she hissed. Marie was silly enough to actually abide by the traffic rules for a few blocks before she saw a purple Honda Civic coming after her hot and fast. The teen made a high-pitched whine. It was already hard enough trying to handle the huge mass of metal under her (she'd nearly fallen off more than once), but now she had to fudge the speed limit and dodge traffic. For Brielle this would be easy as pie, but Marie wasn't her sister.
The purple Honda inched horrifically closer to Marie, making her cringe. She could feel those phantom red eyes boring into her. The braniac almost felt stupid when she didn't immediately know how the 'Con found her. She remembered just how Maggie and Glen got into their situation in the first place; they were tracked down after playing the alien frequency at Glen's grandma's house. Who's to say the very aliens that created the frequency weren't able to track her down just as easily?
Marie made her way out of the city and onto the open stretch of Nevada road. She felt like she had no time to think, only act. However, as she looked ahead, it seemed as if the road grew longer and longer, making her groan miserably. Once she was a good three miles out of town, she noticed a familiar search and rescue vehicle coming down the road along with a red flamed Peterbilt and a jet black Topkick. Marie felt so relieved she could have screamed.
Suddenly, she felt a powerful force behind her which made her lose control of the Harley. She swerved off the road and the next thing she knew, she was on the ground with a mouth full of sand. Marie groaned. She was bruised and battered, but no broken bones as far as she could tell. The girl didn't know how long she lay on the ground for. It couldn't have been long though because she soon heard the rumbling footsteps of the 'Con.
"C'mere, fleshbag! You're saving my aft today!"
The Decepticon took a handful on Marie's shirt and hoisted her up in the air, a plasma blaster aimed at her head. The poor organic experienced vertigo on her way up in the demon's grasp. Just as the black spots disappeared from her vision, familiar faces came into view. Optimus, Ironhide, and Ratchet had weapons pointed right at her. Soon, a black Jeep appeared behind them and a small group of soldiers poured out with weapons at the ready.
Optimus calmly spoke to the Decepticon. "Release the human, Rumble."
'Rumble?' Marie thought. 'Was that the purple guy's name? Speaking of which, where'd he go?' Marie only had to look to her left and see the charged cannon aimed at her head to answer her question. Once she realized who had lifted her up, she let out a horrific scream.
Rumble flinched at the screech the human emitted, physically disgusted by the sound. He didn't feel like being offlined today, so this little fleshling was his ticket to another millennia. He knew that Soundwave ordered him to destroy the human, but if he did that now, he'd be destroyed too. With his free hand, Rumble ransacked the bag that the femme carried and took hold of his prize; the device she used to discover information on his master (no one messes with Soundwave, lady!). He crushed the device between his fingers and a satisfied grin graced his faceplates.
"I'd love to dance, Prime, but I've got better things to do today. Later, slaggers!"
Rumble launched Marie towards the group of do-gooders and made his escape. Optimus caught Marie in his hand just as Ironhide made his attempt to pursue the 'Con.
"No, Ironhide. Let him go."
The black mech let out a low, alien growl and began to hiss a string of curses in his native tongue. "We can't let the slagger live!" he growled in English.
It was as if Marie was having an out of body experience. She saw Optimus set her down for a human medic to examine, but Ratchet intervened. She heard the CMO mumble about human's inferior medical technology and then a blue light scanned her body. "Hematoma of the tissue around her torso, but that's the extent of the damage."
Marie ran her hand around her torso, wincing in pain when she felt the skin around her ribs. Later would she see that the massive bruise on her torso took the shape of a giant hand.
Then, something entirely unexpected happened. For all Marie knew, she passed out and was experiencing a dream right now.
Of course Brielle wasn't standing a hundred yards away with a yellow robot behind her.
Of course the Decepticon known as Rumble wasn't transforming out of his alt. mode to face her.
Lennox's shouts finally sent her soul back into her body and everything came into focus with startling clarity.
Lennox shouted for his men to assume their position and fire when told. The Autobots looked just as startled as the humans. What came next was a surprise for everyone.
Just as Rumble slammed his pile drivers into the ground, Brielle fired an alien-like hand gun. The gun released blue plasma straight through to his Spark chamber, making Rumble's body stagger miserably before falling over like an inanimate heap of scrap metal.
Earlier . . .
It was exactly two minutes and thirty-nine seconds in counting until the sun would begin to set. Brielle only knew that because Anthony felt a burning desire to inform everyone in the house that morning. "I did the calculations myself." He boasted. Marie and Brielle, who was eating a granola bar and chocolate chip waffles respectively, rolled their eyes. Brielle remembered her twin giving Anthony a witty retort, but she couldn't remember exactly what she said. Those were possibly the last words she would ever hear her sister say, and she couldn't even remember them.
'Don't think like that!'
The twin shook her head vigorously as she sat on a metal chair in the locked hangar. Mikaela tried her damndest to console the melancholy girl, but to no avail. At a time like this, Brielle needed her privacy. If not, she wouldn't be responsible for anyone's broken limbs if they got on her bad side. Thankfully, it didn't seem like there was anyone in the hangar aside from Sam, Mikaela, and Bumblebee. Now, her mind stewed with possibilities of escape, but all scenarios ended with Bumblebee snatching her up and hauling her back to the hangar.
The brunette made a light growl of frustration. She didn't like sitting back and letting other people handle things for her. She was seventeen, she had her big girl panties on, and she knew how to take care of herself. Not only that, but it was her sister that was out there. For all Brielle knew, Marie could be face down in a ditch with her skin peeled off and pins sticking in her eyes. She shuddered at the thought and shook the gruesome image from her mind.
Marie may be stuck up and rude sometimes, but she was her sister. Marie and Brielle used to be partners in crime, even having the eerie talent of finishing each other's sentences. They were so alike it was scary. Back then, it was nearly impossible to tell them apart. One year though, Marie went away to some technologically advanced college for an intense course in computer programming (or whatever the hell. Brielle didn't pay attention). When she returned, Marie was different. She was more of a know-it-all than before and constantly teased Brielle for not knowing how to read binary code or how to hack into a website. Then, Marie began to make friends with the 'popular' girls at school. The twins drifted apart, and their yin and yang characteristics became more apparent as the years went by.
Now that the girls were older, the teasing vanished (because Brielle can kick her sister's ass) and they've formed a mutual like for each other when in public, but the sisterly bond is not gone completely; it's just hidden behind one girl's cattiness and the other girl's stubbornness.
"Do you guys seriously not have any food in here? C'mon, a throw me a bone, Bee!" Sam's voice echoed from the farther side of the hangar. He was hell bent on finding a crumb or something to satiate his appetite. Brielle heard Mikaela click her tongue and say, "Sam, I don't think they'd have food in here. Have you ever seen Bee scarf down a cheeseburger?"
A disgusted whir came from the mech, but the sound was much closer than the voices of the two teens. Brielle turned around to see Bumblebee cautiously approaching her.
Bumblebee could practically feel the anger that poured from the organic's body. She wanted to save her sister, but that just wasn't going to happen. Not as long as he was around. Nonetheless, his Spark twinged painfully at seeing his friend so miserable. Bee's radio clicked on and his radio said what his mind thought. "I'm sorry I'm bad, I'm sorry you're blue, I'm sorry about all the things I said to you . . ."
When Brielle saw Bee's dismal appearance: car door wings and the antennae flat and his body hunched over like a toddler that knew he was in trouble; the worm of guilt began to wriggle in the pit of her stomach. Of course she didn't want Bee to feel bad for keeping her here, but she needed to explain to him why she needed to leave. Ambrielle's emerald eyes glittered with determination. She stood up and walked over to Bee, placing a tender yet firm hand on his leg. "Bumblebee, I know that you're just trying to protect me, but I need to help find my sister."
Bumblebee looked at Brielle with regret in his optics. Organics were much too fragile and to Bumblebee, Brielle was exceptionally fragile. While Mikaela and Sam had the common sense to run in the opposite direction of danger, Brielle had a knack for wanting to greet said danger and invite it over for afternoon tea. The scout could see the girl's light fade when he did not respond. After a moment, Bee sat himself on the ground and gestured for her to join him. Brielle gingerly pulled herself onto Bee's knee and sat there patiently, waiting for him to speak.
Air cycled through the scout's vents in the mimic of a human sigh. "Brielle. The Decepticons are ruthless. They would not hesitate to kill you," he said, and then shuddered at his next thought, "or torture you."
The young woman could feel the heavy tones of pain in Bee's voice. The sound of despair coming from the mech was something she never heard from him before and it startled her more than anything. It pained Brielle when she heard his next words, "I . . . I know all too well how cruel they can be."
The girl's eyes filled with hurt and confusion. Bee took note of her expression and shrugged. "When Sector Seven captured me, well, that was nothing."
Ice filled Brielle's veins and she shivered violently. She didn't want him to explain any further. Just the thought of Bumblebee, her friend (her best friend!), being tortured by Decepticons made her sick.
"Bee, I—" Brielle began, but could not finish her sentence. She wasn't sure what to say. No words in the universe; human, Cybertronian, or otherwise, could take away the agony that Bee must have went through. The mech must've known how hopeless Brielle felt because he used one of his mechanical fingers to gently stroke her back. It was times like these when Brielle wished she could wrap her arms around the Autobot and never let go. She wanted to protect him from all the evils of the world, but even she laughed at the thought of a short lived human protecting an ancient and super intelligent creature.
The two stayed silent for a long time just relishing each other's presence. Brielle absently twiddled her thumbs as her mind tried to grasp the sheer longevity of Cybertronians. Finally, she was able to speak.
"Did you know there were over thirty-seven million casualties in World War I?" Brielle asked lifelessly, her eyes searching for something that was invisible to Bumblebee, bit his optics glowed intently as she spoke.
"And seventy million were killed in World War II. On nine-eleven, exactly two thousand nine hundred and eighty five people were murdered."
Bumblebee began researching each day mentioned and to his shock, Brielle was speaking the truth. Optimus was correct when he explained how humans had a great capacity for war and violence. Finally, Brielle's eyes returned to Bee. Her voice became very tiny and more vulnerable than he'd ever heard from her before.
"But you, Optimus, the Autobots. You've known war for—" Brielle tried to think of a big enough number to suffice, but her mind just couldn't muster one, "— a long time. Longer than any war known to man. The deaths . . ." Brielle inhaled deeply again, trying to stop herself from shivering. "Something I can't even imagine."
Bumblebee's optics softened. The girl was correct and Bumblebee's silence confirmed it. He only hoped that Brielle would never have to experience the hardships he had to endure. Suddenly, the light that had dwindled in Brielle's soul rekindled with a fierce brilliance. She shone brightly with determination, a sheer emotion that Bumblebee would never be able to replicate with an impersonal radio clip.
"But you still fight." She said.
It was not a question. Brielle carefully stood up on Bee's knee so they could be eye-to-optic. "You fight for Cybertron. For Optimus, for Ratchet, for Ironhide, for your fallen friends," her commanding voice became gentle once more, "for me." Brielle's heart began to race. Speaking from the heart wasn't one of her strong suits. She felt like she would stutter if she didn't concentrate on every syllable she uttered.
"Why do you fight?"
Bumblebee was taken aback. Such a question was never asked before; it never needed to be asked. War was all Bumblebee knew. He wasn't online during the Golden Age of Cybertron. Yes, he fought because it was his duty and part of his function. He would do as his Prime commanded of him, but still, there was much more to it than that.
He fought for Optimus not only because it was his duty, but because of Cybertron; a beautiful world he would never be able to see again. Although the glory days of Cybertron were now just stories told by older mechs, he still fights in the name of his lost home. Then there was Optimus, not only his Prime, but his father in so many ways. There was Ironhide, a mech with a gruff exterior, but also a mentor to the young scout. There was the ever grouchy Ratchet with his constant grumblings that Bumblebee found annoying, yet knew he couldn't live without. There were his fallen comrades (too many to name) with the newest to the list being Jazz; a kind hearted mech that appreciated the finer things in life.
Then there were his human allies.
Sam, the boy whose fate became intertwined with theirs due to a chance meeting in the ice long ago.
Mikaela, the girl whose fate became intertwined with theirs because of a chance meeting at a lake (and some help from Bumblebee).
Finally, there was Brielle. Her fate became intertwined with theirs due to a chance meeting in the Nevada desert late one night.
They were all such brave humans and Bumblebee would fight to the death for them.
Although these thoughts ran through Bumblebee's processors in less than a nanoclick, it felt as if he sat there a century when he finally heard Brielle's voice again.
"Love." She whispered.
Love. A word often thrown around by the human race, but when Brielle said that four lettered word; a sudden burst of warmth filled his Spark. Although he never said it aloud to his fellow Autobots, he did love them. They were his friends, his brothers in arms. The same for his human friends, he fought for them out of pure love. The yellow mech slowly nodded. He ceased stroking Brielle's back and then delicately placed a metal finger on her cheek. Her soft skin reminded him that he was talking to the wise-cracking Brielle; a human (organic, fragile, short-lived), not an ancient soul with words of wisdom to bestow (although he couldn't tell the difference as she spoke now). The girl managed to smile halfheartedly as she placed a hand on his finger and looked him hard in the optics.
"I love Marie. She's my sister. She's a part of my family. Wouldn't you do the same if it were me?"
Bumblebee cycled air through his vents. He hesitated, unsure of his own words. "I—"
"If it were me, what would you do?"
'Take down anything in my path. Kill every Decepticon; every enemy in my way. Scour the Earth, the galaxy; I wouldn't rest until you were safe with me again.'
Bumblebee sent a memo to his mainframe in order to block the thoughts of Brielle ever being in such danger. Such a fragile creature, a blip of existence, yet there was more fiery courage within her heart than any warrior Bumblebee had met on the battlefield. Brielle was so strong-willed and Bumblebee admired that.
The massive hanger door slid open just as Bumblebee was about to speak. He hissed in Cybertronian as a familiar human walked in with a silver briefcase in hand. Sam and Mikaela, apparently stopping what they were doing, jogged over to see what the ruckus was about. The pair cringed slightly at the sight of the man in the suit. Brielle's brow furrowed at the obvious gestures of dislike. When the man sighted the couple, he too cringed.
"You kiddin' me? I thought I'd saw the last of you two." He said disgustedly.
Mikaela crossed her arms and snorted. "Feeling's mutual."
There they go again with Brielle being out of the loop. She jumped down from Bumblebee and jogged over to the group of humans, Bumblebee right behind her. The man turned towards Brielle and groaned before saying, "Another kid? Has Area Fifty One turned into a freakin' daycare center or does God just hate me?"
And already Brielle did not like this guy. She bore emerald daggers into his soul, hopefully giving him the creeps. "Hi to you too. I'm Brielle Piper, not a kid." She growled. The man took a moment to intensely scrutinize her face. His expression changed in less than a second from squinty and scrutinizing to wide and surprised (if not a little deranged).
"You!," he shouted while pointing accusingly at the young woman, "You're the little ninja that squirmed past my men outside of Mission City!"
Brielle raised a brow. If this man was trying to be serious, he was failing miserably. His exaggerated gestures and slight New York accent made Brielle scoff inwardly. Lucky for him, she generally wasn't a serious person either. "If by 'your men' you mean those Girl Scouts dressed in black, then yes, I'm the 'little ninja' that kicked their sorry asses." She said while crossing her arms. Her demeanor changed and she became haughty in her actions and speech. "Might want to train your 'men' a little more, sir." She said the last word with every drip of sarcasm she could muster.
Brielle felt like she was in a cartoon when the man's face grew fire engine red. She feared steam would shoot from his ears at any second. It took every bit of strength the man could muster to not explode. He opened his mouth a few times and garbled nonsense came out and he cut himself off each time. He finally took a deep breath (which didn't calm him that much) and growled, "I do not have time for smart mouth brats like you, got me kid?" He matched Brielle's sarcastic ending with one of his own.
Brielle rolled her eyes and snorted. She looked over towards Sam and Mikaela and asked, "Who is this guy?" Before either teen could answer, the man pulled out a badge.
"Agent Simmons. Sector Seven." He then growled to himself and his beady black eyes darted towards Sam and Mikaela. "But not for long thanks to alien boy and his criminal girlfriend."
Brielle's eye twitched slightly when the man introduced himself. "You mean the Agent Simmons that tortured Bee?" Brielle asked with a toothy grin, barefaced malice pouring from her 'sweet' expression. Simmons' eye widene. He knew if she was able to take out grown men twice her size, one measly guy would be cake for her.
"Don't you talk to me about classified government—"
"Shut up," she hastily said, "Don't speak. I will hurt you."
Mikaela and Sam vouched for Brielle. "She's serious." Sam stuttered.
"She'll kick your ass." Added Mikaela.
Simmons waved his badge around and sternly said, "It is a federal crime to even touch an agent."
Brielle's striking expression did not waver. "Don't tempt me. What's in the briefcase?"
The soon-to-be former agent eyed the metallic rectangle. "I was sent here to consult with the NBEs," after Brielle gave a confused look (NBEs?), he continued, "This baby right here needs to be approved by NBE-3."
"A.K.A. Optimus." Sam muttered. After giving Sam a hard look, Simmons sauntered towards a nearby table. He entered a few numbers on the case and it clicked open. The teens walked over to see what super secret item was held within the briefcase. As they approached, they saw that Simmons eyed the item lustfully.
"This," he began, "Is Big Mama."
Mikaela eyed the item and scoffed. "It looks like some dorky little gun to me."
Indeed it was a gun, a handgun to be precise. It looked like a failed attempt at a FNP-9 pistol recreation. It was the cliché gunmetal gray, but there was no slide. Not only that, the barrel of the gun was adorned with veins of glowing blue light.
Simmons scowled at Mikaela's ignorance. "This 'dorky gun' can produce over six thousand degrees of burning plasma, so watch it missy."
"What do you need to show that to Optimus for? Wait, is that even possible?" Sam asked. The boy began to eye Bumblebee once the mech began making fierce hissing noises in his native tongue.
"While studying NBE-1, we've been able to develop a weapon based off their alien weaponry." Simmons answered, a cocky grin plastered on his face.
"What!" Mikaela practically shrieked.
"That's against the treaty!" Sam yelled.
"That's why I'm bringing this to Optimus, alien boy." Simmons retorted and then proceeded to grumble about how the humans finally have a decent way to fight Decepticons and a stupid treaty has to get in the way of national security.
The argument between the teens and Simmons became a faint distortion of sound in Brielle's ears. She eyed the gun acquisitively, an idea brewing in her head. She looked over to Bumblebee and found that he was already looking at her.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" she asked. Bee answered with a few clicks and whirs and then Brielle asked, "Won't you get into trouble with the Big Guy?" Bumblebee shrugged and waved his hand, his whirs and clicks saying "no big deal." The girl gave a slight nod and reentered the conversation.
"Can I borrow that?" she nonchalantly asked. The trio gawked at her as if she sprouted a second head. She decided to explain, "I need a way to help find my twin sister. She's been kidnapped."
Simmons grumbled and shouted, "Don't lie to me! What kind of crappy excuse is that?"
Brielle lightly sighed. She shrugged in a way that meant "Hey, I tried" and then quickly pinched the agent's pressure point on his shoulder. Simmons' eyes rolled back into his skull and his face met the ground with a nasty smack.
"Go go go!" Brielle shouted as she grabbed the alien weapon and ran for the hangar exit. Bumblebee, already in front of her, transformed into his alt. form and Brielle hopped it the driver's seat, leaving a confused Sam and Mikaela in the dust.
"What was that?" Bumblebee asked via radio.
Brielle's heart was racing as her adrenaline kicked in. She punched the air triumphantly and giddily shouted, "Vulcan nerve pinch!" before howling triumphantly. A series of clicks and whirs came from the Camaro that sounded just like laughter.
"Are you certain you know how to use that weapon?" Bumblebee asked, if not a little agitated. He was still stewing about Sector Seven creating weaponry based off Cybertronian design.
Brielle gave Bee an unladylike snort as she examined the foreign weapon. "I used to go to the range all the time with my Uncle Jim."
'She sought danger even before we met.' The mech thought wearily. At least now he was here to protect her (from herself more than anything else it seemed). "It is not of fully human origin." Bee added, scanning the weapon. He knew it was dangerous to not only disobey Optimus, but to allow Brielle to wield a prototype weapon that is unauthorized by human-Autobot relations.
Brielle waved dismissively. "Same basic principle. It'll be fine. Have you tracked Optimus yet?"
The mech's radio hissed static before turning off. Once off, Bee's voice took stage again. "Yes. The Autobots and Lennox are off road five miles ahead of us."
Brielle looked out the tinted window with her eyes squinted in worry. The next few miles were filled with a painful silence as thoughts raced through her mind. Why weren't they at her house? What if it was all a mistake and Marie wasn't in danger at all? It was a possibility, but then Brielle wanted to know what made the Autobots take a little detour.
Bumblebee jolted violently to the left as he veered off road. The sudden turn caused Brielle to hit the side of her head against Bee's door. "Ow!" she shouted in sharp pain, rubbing her head. "What the hell Bee?" she asked before seeing for herself. A large mass of boulders and cacti were able to shield their presence from the situation just a few yards in front of them. Closer to the road was Optimus, Ratchet, and an angry Ironhide, followed by Will and his crew. After further observation, Brielle saw a familiar brunette standing by in front of Ratchet. "Marie!" She was alive. She was safe, but why was there a retreating purple Honda zooming further into the desert?
"Rumble." Bumblebee uttered as he opened the door for Brielle. She exited the cab and put her back against the boulder, the pistol cocked and ready.
"Is that the bucket of bolts that kidnapped Marie?" Brielle's voice was low and threatening. Bumblebee silently transformed and crouched down so he was not visible.
"Yes, Brielle." He answered solemnly. The determined brunette cocked her head up to Bee. She took a deep breath in an attempt to steady herself. She pointed the gun upwards and Bumblebee responded with his arm transforming into his plasma cannon. Brielle turned her attention back towards the purple Honda. It was nearly close enough now. She began to count in her head.
'One . . .
He could've killed Marie.
Two . . .
And they're just letting him go?
Well, I'm not that nice.
Three!'
The mech and femme leapt from their hiding place and blocked the Honda's escape route. The car skidded to a halt and transformed. It would be an understatement to say that Brielle was unimpressed with the tiny mech. He was short compared to any other 'Bot she's ever seen.
"Bumblebee! You slagger! Oh, looks like ya have a pet, eh?" Rumble said with a cocky grin on his faceplates. "Looks like the one I almost pulverized. Good for nothin' insects. She wouldn't stop screaming."
Brielle could feel her face grow white hot with anger. "If you hurt her, I swear to God I'll tear you apart and sell you for scrap metal." She growled between clenched teeth. Rumble bellowed with laughter. Although he put on an arrogant show, he was still wary of the yellow mech behind the small human.
"What, you gonna sick Bumblebee on me?" he asked, although slightly afraid that she would do just that. Brielle merely grinned and pointed the pistol straight for his chest plates.
"No. Worse."
Rumble was beginning to lose his patience now. He was trying to make his escape and a puny human was threatening him with primitive weapons! His arms transformed into his pile drivers and he growled in an alien-like manner. Bumblebee readied his cannon and aimed it at Rumble, but the blue plasma that ripped through the Decepticon did not come from the scout.
The force from the pistol was enough to make Brielle land on her back. Luckily the sand softened the blow for her, but she couldn't say the same for the heap of purple scrap in from of them. Brielle was dumbfounded. Did she? Was he? Wow. Bumblebee plucked Brielle by the shirt and steadied her on her feet. The girl ran a hand through her hair, completely awestricken. She glanced at Bee and whispered, "Told you I'd be fine," before laughing in disbelief.
Bumblebee rolled his optics. 'This time.' He thought. The scout finally unblocked the communication link he'd been blocking since they left the base. Optimus' voice came in loud and clear.
:Bumblebee. You deliberately disobeyed direct orders: His voice sounded stern and Bumblebee couldn't help but flinch. :I was expecting you two sooner:
:Sir?:
The yellow mech wasn't expecting that from Optimus. Instead of giving him an answer, the Prime said, :Join us here. We will discuss this later:
It didn't take but a few moments for Bumblebee to transform into his alt. mode, Brielle to hop in, and for them to rendezvous with the Autobots a hundred yards away. Once Brielle exited the Camaro, the alien weapon tucked in the back of her jeans, Marie sprinted for her twin and gave her a big, spine cracking embrace.
"Brielle! How did you know I was in danger? Oh, God! Are you okay? I think I ruined dad's bike. He's going to murder me! You kicked that thing's ass! You're like a freaking super hero!" A whole jumble words came from Marie's mouth, her mind jumping from one subject to another. It was safe to say she was a sobbing mess. Brielle awkwardly returned the hug and then patted her sister's head.
"Uh, it's fine Marie. Calm down. I'm fine. You're fine, right?" Although Brielle didn't look it, her heart was doing back flips. Marie was safe and Brielle thought it safe enough to even crack a smile.
"Brielle!" Lennox's gruff voice cut off whatever Marie was babbling about. "Mind telling me why you're not back at Area 51?"
Optimus Prime's voice overshadowed whatever Major Lennox was about to dish out to Brielle. "Do you mind telling me when your next combat training session is, Major Lennox?"
Everyone looked over to the towering mech with scrunched faces, but Optimus' cryptic message suddenly began to make sense to Ratchet.
"It is obvious that Brielle has proved herself competent of wielding weapons as well as handling herself in the face of a Decepticon. Surely you can give her a chance at the position she desires."
:Optimus!: Bumblebee shouted via comm.
:Are you certain that is prudent? She is merely a child: Ratchet calmly added.
:You let her offline Rumble but not me?: Ironhide grumbled enviously.
:She will learn. She already accepts our existence and residence on Earth. She is a loyal ally: Prime explained. Before Bumblebee could argue, Prime blocked his channel with the scout.
"Well, I suppose she could try it out. For fun or something." Will said in a defeated tone. Brielle's eyes twinkled with hope.
"Really? Seriously?" She asked, unable to contain her excitement. Lennox sighed begrudgingly and nodded. Brielle giddily wrapped her arms around Lennox and said "Thank you thank you thank you!" repeatedly before letting go and doing the same to Optimus (albeit his leg). The mech chuckled warmly at Brielle's response and ignored Bumblebee's icy glare. Optimus began to further examine the weapon Brielle carried. To his shock, it was not a weapon he had cataloged in his memory banks.
"Is that Cybertronian?" Optimus asked, finding it difficult to hide his surprise. Brielle looked sheepishly at Optimus at first. She hated to be the one to break it to him.
"Uh, not exactly. It was created by Sector Seven . . . by studying Megatron."
Ironhide's cannons whirred with infuriation. Brielle could see where this was headed. "No no! Agent Simmons brought it thinking you were at base. I guess they created it before the treaty? He meant to discuss it with you." Brielle wasn't intentionally saving Simmons' ass, she was preventing a potential feud between Autobots and humans. "I kinda borrowed it. Without asking. Well, I knocked him out and stole it."
Will smirked at the thought of a hundred and ten pound girl knocking out a full grown man, and by the looks of it, so did the Autobots.
Optimus grunted. Although he did not particularly like Seymour Simmons, he thought his actions were wise. It was time to go home. "The matter will be discussed further at base. Autobots, Rollout!"
The mechs transformed into the vehicle modes while Lennox instructed his crew to clean up the remains of Rumble. Will departed in Ironhide while Brielle and Marie left in Bumblebee.
Optimus had carefully contemplated the extent of Brielle's involvement with the Autobots ever since Mission City. He respected that young Witwicky desired a normal life, but for Brielle, that didn't seem to be her chosen path. She was one of the very few humans Optimus fully trusted. Ambrielle Piper would train with the Autobots. She would learn not only how to be an American soldier, but a Cybertronian warrior.
X X X
Bah sorry about the crappy ending! I wasn't sure how to end it.
By the way, for the deaths that Brielle stated, I got the numbers off a website called . If the numbers are inaccurate, let me know!
Once again, thanks for any favorites, alerts, or reviews! I appreciate them all!
Please review! I'd like to know what you like/love about the story, what you want more or less of, or just a nice comment! Anything keeps me going. Thanks!