Carissa blinked a few times as she tightly clung to Optimus's fingers and watched Starscream disappear over the horizon. "Oh my God," she thought as the realization that her sister had just been kidnapped sunk in, "Oh my God!"
Optimus looked down at her hearing her shout and lifted her swiftly to his face, "Calm down—
"Calm down?!" she shrieked, "Just how am I supposed to calm down?!"
"We'll get her back, we'll—
"They'll kill her Optimus, you know them better than I do, and don't try to tell me that isn't true!"
"They can't kill her yet, we don't even know if Megatron is alive or not, if he is, he's going to want her thoroughly questioned and he'll most likely use her as a hostage."
"You're not helping me calm down!"
Optimus sighed heavily and turned around, "Ironhide? Where's Ironhide?"
Bumblebee gestured over to Ironhide who was still lying on the ground injured and offline. Optimus saw this and was just about to say something when Rowan shouted from underneath the weapons expert, "Get this hunk of junk off me!"
"Ratchet, take care of Ironhide stat," Optimus ordered and he felt Carissa start squirming in his hands, "I need to get this human calmed down."
Ratchet nodded and went off to repair Ironhide and help Rowan out from underneath him. Optimus then looked back to Carissa who looked up at him and demanded, "Set me down! I need to go rescue my sister since you autobots don't seem to be doing anything."
"We have to assess the situation first, and then repair ourselves. Only once that is done can we formulate a plot to rescue Kit."
"She'll be dead by then though!"
"Carissa you've got to have some faith."
"Faith?! Those guys don't believe in faith!"
That was it. Optimus transformed into his vehicle form and Carissa suddenly found herself sitting on the leather seat in Optimus's cab. She heard the doors lock and she was trapped. Carissa huffed and suddenly a man appeared beside her. He had jet black hair, was very muscular, and electric blue eyes. He looked to be about six foot four. Carissa was so surprised she moved to the other side of the truck and away from him before gasping, "Who are you?"
"It's me."
"Optimus?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"My holoform…when I don't have a human in me I use this so people won't grow suspicious when they see a driverless vehicle on the roads."
"Oh…" she replied and was quiet a few seconds before she asked, "Can you and I go get my sister?"
"No, that would be suicide. We'll rescue her the next opportunity we get; I swear upon my spark that nothing will happen to her."
Carissa shook her head, "Be realistic Optimus! You can't make promises like that."
"Why not?"
"Because, those are the kind that are impossible to be kept."
"I have every intention of keeping it. Now are you calm?"
"No."
"Okay then we'll sit here until you are."
Carissa looked at him out of the corner of her eye as she secretly pulled up one of the locks. She was just about to open the door when the lock went back down. She groaned.
"Don't think I can't feel what you're doing, Carissa."
"Just let me out! I'll go rescue Kit myself."
And before she had time to react, Optimus was on top of her, pinning her to the seat of the cab. Carissa tensed and looked up into his electric blue eyes with fear trickling through her veins. She could hardly move; he was so strong and he had pinned her so tightly.
"Don't even attempt a foolish thing like that!" he growled, "I know the decepticons, they have a protocol to follow with their prisoners, Kit will be questioned and interrogated, but she will not be killed. We will get to her before that happens."
"What if…what if they just kill her though? What if they didn't follow their standard protocol?"
"Why wouldn't they?"
Carissa was silent a few moments before she said softly, "I'm sorry Optimus."
"Don't worry about it. I know what it's like to lose a sibling."
"You…have a sibling?"
"A brother."
"Who?"
"It isn't important now."
"Oh…I'm sorry," she stated solemnly.
"It's alright, now, are you calm?"
"I guess so."
"Okay then, I'll let you out but the moment you show signs of misbehaving, you'll be right back in here with me."
"If you say so."
"I say so," he replied climbing off her and opening a door so she could get out.
Carissa got out and waited as he transformed. Once he had, Optimus lifted Carissa in his hand and went off to get a status report from Bumblebee.
Ratchet carefully lifted Ironhide off of Rowan and she crawled out from underneath him and looked up at the medic. She had seen Ironhide get hit, it looked like the shot had been nasty since it had knocked him out like that. She sighed and sat a little bit away from the medic and his patient. Finally she asked, "Is Ironhide going to be alright?"
"Yes, the shot wasn't that bad," Ratchet tried to explain.
"So why is he unconscious?"
"Starscream just hit him in the right spot and hard enough to knock him out. You don't need to worry about him, he'll be alright…and I'm not so sure Ironhide would be happy to hear you were worrying about him."
"Why not? Does he really think that he can handle himself?"
"Well, basically."
"Just wait until he wakes up," Rowan growled, "Hurry up and fix him so I can show him what I'm made of."
Ratchet shook his head at the bravery of the human…a female human was challenging Ironhide. It wasn't that he thought human females were weak, they often sounded like they got their way, but just the thought of one challenging Ironhide was rather hard to grasp. He didn't say anything in response to Rowan and simply went on with repairing Ironhide. About half an hour had gone by before he finally finished, and when he was done he looked to Rowan and said, "When he wakes up, let me know."
"Aye, aye captain," she replied standing.
Ratchet sighed heavily and walked away deciding that arguing with the human was not worth his time when probably some of the other autobots needed repairs. Rowan watched as he walked away and then turned her attention back to Ironhide. She crawled up his armor onto his chest and sat there looking at this face. She waited there about fifteen minutes waiting for him to wake up, but when he didn't, she grew very impatient and finally shouted, "You stupid lug-nut! Wake up!"
He didn't, and Rowan proceeded to take a rock out of her pocket. She was just about to throw it at him when he groaned and his optics flared online. He immediately saw Rowan standing on his chest about to throw the rock and he growled, "Just what do you think you're doing human?"
Rowan tossed the rock aside, "I was trying to wake you up, and about to use whatever means necessary in order to do so."
"Get off me human."
"Can't a girl just make sure you're alright?"
Ironhide narrowed his optics at her, "The last thing I want is some pathetic human worrying about me."
Rowan kicked his chest, "Why can't you give anyone a chance?"
"If it weren't for Optimus, I would have killed you because you're so annoying."
Rowan felt tears form in her eyes and she quickly blinked them back before climbing off Ironhide and running off away from the autobots. Ironhide grumbled knowing he had to go get her now before something happened to her or incase the decepticons showed back up. Getting to his feet, he took a couple steps and caught right up to her. He took her in his hand and lifted her up to his face.
"Let me go!" she hollered.
"No, I don't need you getting hurt now," Ironhide replied.
"Your words hurt me enough," she scoffed and began struggling trying to wiggle out of his grasp.
"Hold still!" he yelled.
"Put me down!" she yelled back matching his volume.
Ironhide didn't say anything and simply glared at her. She was a fighter, he had to give her that much credit…but anything else, he didn't want to. He figured he owed her an apology, what he had said had been uncalled for and he surely didn't mean it. He truly believed that freedom is the right of all sentient beings, as Optimus had said. And it didn't matter what the being was, as long as it was alive it was free. He rubbed a finger along her back trying to soothe her and then he finally let the anger fade away from his face as he said softly, "I'm sorry Rowan."
"Sorry for what?"
Ironhide grumbled at the fact that she was taking advantage of him like this, but then again he kind of deserved it, "Sorry for saying I would've killed you. I didn't mean it…I won't kill humans…at least not you."
Rowan looked at him suspiciously before saying, "Alright…you're forgiven, just don't say crap like that anymore."
"Alright, I'll try not to," he replied, "Now come on let's get to the other autobots to see what the damage is."
"That fly guy took Kit," Rowan said.
"What?! Starscream got Kit? That dirty scum bag…thinks he can shoot me and then kidnap humans, I'll rip him to shreds," Ironhide exclaimed and headed over to Optimus and the rest of the autobots.
Rowan sighed. She really didn't know what to think of this whole situation, sure Kit was her friend and she didn't want to see her getting killed, but just how was she supposed to help? She couldn't fight Starscream even through she had tried…rocks weren't enough to stop him. And she couldn't guarantee what was in store for Kit now…of course she was worried, but she felt more helpless than anything.
Kit gave up on her struggling not too long after she realized she was stuck and she didn't have a way out. She tugged on the restraining bar in a futile attempt to loosen it. Starscream snickered at her failure but didn't say anything. Kit glanced out of his cockpit and saw the landscape going by in a blur beneath them. They were traveling so fast, it was a wonder she hadn't gotten sick yet. Suddenly she felt him slow and she saw a vast body of water in the distance…she guessed that was one of the great lakes or something, until she remembered the autobots had been leaving the great lakes region…it wouldn't make sense for that to be the great lakes.
They flew over the ocean for a ways until Starscream suddenly said causing Kit to jump, "Starscream incoming."
And like a scene from a movie, the ocean suddenly opened up and Starscream flew into the hole it created. He went into deeper into the hole, slowing down drastically as he did so, until he reached the bottom and transformed. Kit fell out of his cockpit as he did so and hit the ground hard, but luckily she wasn't that high off the ground as she rolled a few times until she finally came to rest at another transformer's feet. She looked up only to gasp and quickly crawl a few feet away from the robot. He was the most terrifying thing she had ever seen, his red optics burned right through her and a scissor like hand suddenly picked her up and examined her closely.
"There were three humans, Starscream. Why do you only have one?"
"I couldn't get the rest sir," the robot addressed as Starscream replied before bowing down to one knee, "Forgive me Megatron."
Megatron huffed and then bellowed, "You failed me again, Starscream. I gave you a direct order to have all three humans."
Starscream stood with a glare on his face, "At least I brought you one of them. She's got to know where that Witwicky boy is."
Kit glanced at the one known as Megatron; apparently he was the leader since Starscream had bowed to him. He was so imposing, so powerful, so terrifying…when she had first seen him he had sent fear burning through her. And she wasn't the least bit comfortable about being in his grasp. Megatron held her up and looked at her. "Where is the Witwicky boy, flesh bag?" he demanded.
"I…I don't know who you're talking about," she replied.
Megatron looked at her skeptically, "How do I know you are not lying?"
"I don't know anyone by the name of Witwicky!"
"You were with the autobots; you must have seen him around."
"No, it was just Carissa, Rowan, and I," Kit responded, "So…Mr. Megatron sir I don't think I'm of any use to you and perhaps you can get Starscream to take me back to the autobots?"
"Don't make me laugh. You're still of use to me, as a hostage. Starscream, you're dismissed," Megatron stated and turned and started walking away from the seeker with Kit in hand.
Kit was afraid to struggle. Megatron's hands were so sharp she risked being sliced and cut to death in her own efforts to free herself. He wasn't built to hold hands with anyone…yet he wasn't harming her, yet.
"What is your name human?"
"Kit."
"Why were you with the autobots?"
"Because one of your lackeys tried to kill Carissa, Rowan, and me, but the autobots rescued us and kept us with them."
"Do you know why the autobots were coming here?"
"Increased decepticon activity or something like that," she answered.
Megatron chuckled thinking that the autobots were beginning to find out he was alive again. He had been brought back to life when Soundwave came to earth and found his body; he was able to fix him and while he was being fixed he saw that his spark had not been completely damaged and was able to use his power of restoring life to completely restore the decepticon leader to full health. And Megatron was sure grateful to be among the living again. He and his decepticons had moved closer to the California shore where they built a base and carried out their business there.
Now, all Megatron had to figure out was what to do with this human for the time being.
It was late evening and the autobots were back on the road and heading to California to set up a new base. Ratchet had suggested that they go back to Tranquility to get Sam and Mikaela because there was the possibility that the decepticons would target them, after all, it had been Sam who had destroyed Megatron, and if Megatron were back among the living he would certainly want to avenge his own death by brutally killing the boy. Optimus agreed and sent Bumblebee to retrieve the two humans. As this was going on, Ironhide and Optimus were busily explaining to Carissa and Rowan their war and what had taken place over the last few months. It took a few minutes, but the two girls were able to soak in all the information presented to them.
"What about Kit though?" Rowan asked, "Won't Megatron use her to get to Sam and us?"
"That's exactly what he'll do," Optimus answered through the comlink, "That's why we need to rescue her as soon as possible."
"If we can rescue her," Carissa added negatively.
"Carissa, what did I tell you about having some faith?" Optimus inquired sternly.
"Sorry," she remarked.
"It's alright to worry about your sister, but you have to think positively."
"I'm trying."
Ironhide closed the comlink transmission to give Optimus and Carissa their privacy before he said to Rowan, "Go to sleep little one."
"How do I know you won't drive into a ditch and kill me?"
"Didn't I tell you I wouldn't kill you?"
"True…alright, I'll sleep, so try to keep the ride as smooth as possible."
"Alright, and try to be a little less annoying when you wake up."
"I'll try just as long as you aren't so much of a pain in the ass when I wake up."
"Touché."
Rowan smirked and settled into the seat to get some sleep.
Carissa sighed as she laid down in the long seat of Optimus's cab. She was exhausted, it had been a long day…and she was extremely worried about her sister. She was wishing it had been her that was taken and not Kit…but she knew Kit had always been the one to have all sorts of bad luck and it was only a matter of time before this kind of thing happened…even if it hadn't happened to her.
The girl knew that the best thing was not to think about it, just to think about getting to California in one piece and hoping that her sister would be waiting their for her. Perhaps, if she had good luck on her side, when they got to the Golden State they would find Kit, released and angry that they hadn't come sooner. She chuckled lightly at the thought.
Sleep heavy on her eyes, Carissa closed them and drifted off to a slumber listening to soft and relaxing music by Beethoven.