Chapter 9: laptop
Perceptor sat in the park, leaning on a tree quietly. Carly, Freddie and Sam were on a bench nearby but kept their distance. Perceptor was angry and wasn't afraid to show it, against anyone. He was being somewhat out of character, Perceptor inferred toward himself. He closed his eyes, hoping to stay within thought.
He sighed. He was recalling the accident in detail, trying to find a way to reverse the affects. The memory slowly played. It paused though, aggravating Perceptor further. The memory had paused at Perceptor calling to the others from beside the vortex with Prowl and his…Perceptor's eyes opened wide.
"My computer!" he gasped, getting the three human's attention.
"What?" Sam snapped.
"I had a computer system that was monitoring the vortex. I'd found the different planes with it," explained Perceptor, looking over at them, "Maybe with it…"
"We can find where the others are," finished Freddie, standing up.
"Earth to nerds," Sam shouted, "We don't know where this computer is or if it too was affected."
"Sam brings up a good point," Perceptor hummed.
"What would the computer possibly turn into? Maybe smaller but really," shrugged Freddie.
Perceptor thought over the arguing Sam and Freddie. It would be something smaller, yes, and something much more mobile. Perceptor looked around the park. Children playing, dogs barking, business men talking on cell phones and working on laptops. Perceptor smirked.
"A laptop," suggested Perceptor.
"Of course!' agreed Freddie.
"Guys…" whispered Carly.
Looking at Carly, the three noticed she had her phone out and looked truly worried. She glanced up at them. Perceptor knew the expression. Worry. The same expression he'd worn before coming across his friends. She was worry but for who?
"Something wrong?" Perceptor asked.
"I can't get through to Spencer," Carly answered.
"Spencer?" Perceptor repeated.
"Carly's older brother," explained Sam in a snooty tone.
"If he went back to the apartment…" whispered Freddie.
"The Decepticons!" Perceptor gasped.
"No!" shouted Carly, covering her mouth. "We need to go back!"
"But," Freddie stuttered, "What if they're waiting for us?"
"We'll just need to take it head on," whispered Sam.
"Agreed," Perceptor nodded, getting confused glances.
"Agreed? You can't! This is completely illogical," gasped Freddie, hoping to get Perceptor to see.
"I've learned that humanity is simply illogical," answered Perceptor with a shrug.
"Perceptor!" a familiar voice called.
Perceptor turned around, seeing Ironhide, Bumblebee and Prowl running up. Perceptor scoffed, crossing his arms. They stopped in front of him. He waited for Prowl and Bumblebee to catch their breath. In the meantime, he exchanged glares with Ironhide.
"'Ceptor," hissed Ironhide.
"Hide," replied Perceptor.
"Alright, stop it you two!" ordered Prowl.
"What do you want?" snapped Sam.
"Specifically you three," Prowl explained.
"What?" Perceptor's voice chimed in with the three humans.
"Yes," Bumblebee offered, "Prowl and I were think and we came to a disturbing thought."
"Such as?" Freddie questioned.
"What if the humans were affected also?" answered Bumblebee.
"The possibility is…" Perceptor hummed, "great."
"How great?" asked Ironhide.
"As great as say…" Perceptor paused, "as water flowing downward." He shrugged.
"Best you've got?" chuckled Prowl.
"My mind is slipping slowly," answered Perceptor with yet another shrug.
"That's reassuring," huffed Ironhide.
"Perceptor," Carly begged, "what about Spencer?"
Perceptor glanced back at Carly as Spencer's name slipped from the mouths of the other three Autobots. Perceptor smirked, looking toward the others once more.
"We'll go back to the apartment and look," nodded Perceptor, looking back at Carly.
"Really?" Prowl gaped.
"Yes," Perceptor answered in an angry tone. "We owe these humans much more than that."
"He's right," nodded Bumblebee.
"On the way, let's think of some names for you lot," Carly offered.
"Why?" Ironhide snapped.
"We can't keep going around yelling out Ironhide or Perceptor," explained Freddie.
"I understand," sighed Perceptor, "This should be fun."