Considering I've hardly ever used a holo-form, I didn't know how peaceful it is just to travel through the countryside. I was rather enjoying the ride back to the Logan farm, despite the silence from Caroline. The only thing I would change is the noise coming from T.J's mouth!
I groaned as he continued on about how to hear all the news adults didn't want them to hear. I wasn't the only frustrated one, I heard Caroline sigh each time T.J started a new topic. Out of frustration, I was trying to think up appropriate things that "T.J" could stand for. I laughed inwardly at my little "talkative jerk" thought as we came to a small house that, considering T.J had said "Home already?" I could finally enjoy the idea of some peace.
"Well, see y'all at school Stacey," he said as we rode off.
"Finally some quiet!" I exclaimed, covering my mouth when I realised I'd said that out loud. Hearing small giggles in the back and seeing Caroline's shoulders move up and down, I could tell I wasn't alone in that thought.
After about an hour or so of travelling, we came to the gate of what I was guessing was Logan land. It had grown dark quite quickly, and I was already tired. When we stopped, I jumped down from my seat beside Caroline, gently massaging my back. Now don't you be thinking I'm small and frail and good looking! In robot mode I'm as tall as Optimus and Megatron, so I was tall and strong, just with some stiff joints is all.
"Cassie, Stacey, take Jack to rest. Jack, come with me while Jeffery helps the children," Caroline said. Jazz just stood there confused.
"Do I go with the children or with you?" he asked, all of us bursting out with an uproar of laughter. I laughed harder when I realised that the horse's name was Jack as well.
"The horse is called Jack. You go with Big Ma," Stacey said through his laughter. I burst out again when I saw Jazz's face turn as red as Optimus' armour, falling over on my aft and rocking with laughter.
"Oh I've fallen again. Give me a hand up kids," I said, unable to get up myself even with my cane. While I stretched a little, Cassie and Stacey took the horse, talking about the incident in Strawberry. Deciding to let them talk between themselves, I went over to the wagon and began to unload, taking the recently purchased shotguns first.
As I began to unload what wasn't sold at the market, I saw Cassie and Stacey come from the barn in a hurry. Assuming something was wrong, I quickly walked over to them.
"What's the trouble? A wild animal in the barn?" I asked, instantly alert. I didn't want to scare them, but it had suddenly occurred to me that I may have been the only Autobot to die in Egypt, but there were more than ten or fifteen Decepticons that had died. I was especially worried that that scorpion robot whose head I may have squashed might be here.
"Harlan Granger's car is in the barn!" Cassie said. I sighed inwardly with relief, but was still concerned. Whoever this Harlan Granger was, he obviously worried the children. Following the kids inside, I saw Jazz, Caroline, a woman who I was assuming was the kids' mother, two boys younger than Cassie and a man who looked like the kids' father.
"Uncle Hammer!" Cassie and Stacey both exclaimed. Thankful there was no immediate danger, I relaxed, glad I didn't have a reason to shoot anything.
"What took y'all so long?" Jazz said to me, still a noticeable shade of pink.
"Unloading the wagon. So, do we have any jobs?" I asked, noticing the small smile on his face.
"Yep, jobs around the farm and protection from these "night men"," he said, making me glad I'd bought the guns.
"You must be Jeffery Firewell?" the kid's mother said, seeming rather nervous.
"Pleased to meet you Mrs Logan. I look forward to working on your land," I said, joining her in the kitchen. I overheard who I presumed to be Hammer laughing, then after a short while, he turned serious, something that Mrs Logan took as a bad thing.
"Does that red neck really think he can order my niece around?" Hammer almost yelled, leaving the house quickly with his shotgun.
"Stacey, get Mr Morrison and tell him to stop Hammer," Miss Logan said, Stacey obediently searching for the man.
"I was there at the incident. I'll help calm him down," I said, rushing out with only my cane in hand. As I rushed across the yard to the barn, I saw a rather large man, presumably Mr Morrison, heading in the same direction. He was about my size and had strength by the looks of it.
Catching up to him, we went into the barn and quickly jumped into the car, a very nice looking silver Packard, just as Hammer drove off.
"I'm gonna show Simms not to do that to my niece!" Hammer said in a rage.
"Hurting in blind rage never solved anything," Mr Morrison said in a calming manner.
"He got a good talking to, I saw to it personally," I said, not really thinking of anything else to say.
"If you go after Mr Simms, you'll bring trouble upon the family," Mr Morrison said, and thankfully, it at least made him stop the Packard. We all got out, looking up at the starry sky until a noise got my attention.
"Excuse me gentlemen, I have some....business to attend to in the woods," I said, mentally caning myself for saying that. At least they bought it, and it meant that they had something else to talk about.
"Come out, I know you're in here," I said, looking around a tree and thrusting my cane forward.
"Okay okay! Don't kill me, I didn't do anything!" said a man about Jazz's holo-form age with black hair, a grey shirt and black trousers.
"State your name," I ordered, my cane still pointing in the man's chest.
"Simon Waysworth!" he said. My mind clicked when I saw the eyes, which were the exact same colour as mine.
"So tell me...Sideways, what are you doing, lurking in these woods," I said, pushing my cane further into his chest.
"Wait....tell me your name first Autobot," Sideways said, sounding rather pathetic.
"Jeffery Firewell. Now tell me what other Decepticons are here," I said, my voice as threatening as I could make it.
"Jetfire! Oh you have to help me! The Constructicons want to kill me!" Sideways practically yelled. I think he would be on his knees begging if my cane wasn't pointed at his chest. Sighing, I lowered my cane.
"I wish Demolisher and Grindor were here," he said, actually showing sadness. I almost felt sorry for him.
"Listen son, if you want my help, you'll have to tell me what Constructicons are in this time," I said, trying to help calm the boy.
"Rampage, his holo-form name is Ramon Pager, Long Haul, he's Liam Hall and Mixmaster, he's the leader of them going by Mr Masterson. They blame me for Demolisher's death and say they'll rip my spark out and see how long it beats until it gives out!" he blurted, almost in tears. I couldn't help but look at him with nothing but sympathy.
"Oh quite it you cry baby, at least you fit in better than I would," muttered an unknown, contempt filled voice.
"Let me guess, your holoforms name is what, Bonec Rusher," I muttered sarcastically. Turning around, I was met with a man in late twenties with sandy coloured skin, spiked up light brown hair, and similar eyes, though his were more red than mine or Sideways. Add that to the hate filled voice, and it was obvious who it was.
"Of all the other Decepticons in this time, I get stuck with three Constructicons, that missile brained tank head and the old man. Just my luck," Bonecrusher grumbled, cursing under his breath until I thwacked him over the head with my cane.
"Now listen here. You are going to be social, you are going to act like a civilised human being and, now I really mean this, you will NOT engage any human unless they are holoforms. GOT IT!" I yelled, stabbing my cane into his chest.
"And why should I?" Bonecrusher challenged.
"Because if you don't, it won't be the other Decepticons you need to worry about," I whispered, my face just inches from his. He actually gulped in that comical human way. "Good, glad we have an understanding," I said, a victorious smirk plastered over my face.
"So, where do we go?" I heard Sideways ask, almost nervous.
"You two shall be accompanying me. Just to warn you, the humans who have employed me and Jazz don't know we are robots, but we will tell them when the time is right. Is that understood?" I asked. Sideways nodded, but Bonecrusher looked at me like I was insane.
"Jazz? As in that twerpy little silver bot?" he asked, earning another thwack from my cane.
"In case you forgot, I defected to the Autobots. Now considering the circumstances, so will you. And any problems will be dealt with in the same way they would when I was a Decepticon," I said, pointing my cane at the brown skinned lad.
"Yes sir," he said, clearly remembering what that meant.
"Alright, now as they say in France or en France, allons' y," I said, leading the way out of the woods.