AN: Well it has taken longer that I would have liked. Things got a somewhat hectic in scheduling. I had hoped to have completed this by no later than Halloween or Halloween weekend. It did not work out that way.
I also run into other issues. These ghost have fought me tooth and nail for the perfect ending. I think I finally have it, so I sit reviewing little things and the like. Only to discover, the need for a follow up. I do wish the wise guy in the Peanut Gallery would stop snickering, or I am gonna kick his tires for him, Sideswipe… Not that I am calling any 'Bot out.
It is just weird when I want to finish something up and it won't let me. So there will be a follow up. My hope is a one shot.
On a side I would love to take a whack at whatever has messed with my uploading, editing, and line spacing.
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The couple stood peering down from the upper level, watching as Kami slept in the center of the floor surrounded by of all things automobiles.
The woman brought her fingers up touching her forehead, then she brought her hand forward and downward letting only her thumb and pinky finger remain extended forming the letter Y. The question was to her mate.
He replied back a harried response his fingers practically flying. "Look at her. She could be any ones daughter. Just because she is here doesn't automatically make her Kate."
Again she presented the same question. 'Why had the girl come for them then? Kate wasn't dead. If she had of died she would still be trapped there with them, forever lost to time. She would be with them.' She added a second time just for good measure.
The man sick of the discussion that had waged since the appearance of their rescuer shrugged. He instead looked back out to where she slept.
She was so young full of life, a bundle of energy. But she didn't have enough energy for herself and to maintain the six of them. And the children, the children they were unable to control what energy they took. They could literally drain the girl dry of her very life essence. But the vehicles, at least he was certain of the large black truck. It seemed to radiate an energy he never felt the likes of before.
He wondered if that was why they were solid, not apparitions anymore. Did it have something to do with the girl's truck or was it larger than that? Did it really encompass something bigger? And if it did what was it?
The woman looked at the other children, they were still resting. She suspected there would be a lot of that. Even she still felt so tired, and yet somehow almost alive.
"Markus, did you feel anything, from the other vehicles? I mean.." The woman Brenda paused looking for the right words.
When they had pulled in, the entire building seemed to pulse with some unseen even to them source. She could have sworn the vehicles were alive in their own right, but how it wasn't possible. She let her eyes scan the layout before her. Markus joined her, letting his own gaze slid around the room before them.
It was hard to believe housed in the building was such a diverse selection of automobiles. Sports cars, three to be exact and two all-terrain trucks.
No actually the Pontiac Solstice was more of the roadster of the sports cars. The other sliver one a Corvette Stingray was an aggressively sculpted low slung. Built for speed. Then there was the third one. A bright yellow Camaro. It was both considered a pony car and a muscle car.
The all-terrain trucks or the huge black GMC Topkick truck was built for all-terrain, in fact the rougher the terrain the better that sort of truck performed. Yet still a very smooth ride even in suburban areas.
The emergency vehicle, it seemed a bit off. It was bulky. It had large heavy tires much like the pickup. There was the emblem H-2 Search and Rescue. But the image, in the center. They had only just seen that insignia inside the large black pickup. If they had inspected any of the other vehicles more closely they would have found they all bore that unusual insignia.
Brenda turned her attention back to the stirring children. They were waking, they would need to be fed and there were appearances that needed to be kept up. The table remained set from the evening before. The girl must truly be of southern descent, the hospitably flowed freely from her.
Markus give the dark hair 4 year old Allison stern instructions that she was not to touch anything including the young woman Kami. Her wide eyed response was how else could she wake her? He only waggled a finger to her retreating back.
Allison watched the bolt of lightning flicker and light up the skylight. It should be rays of sunshine flooding in and lightning the large bay, but instead it was lightning. Just two more steps and she reached bay area and all beautiful automobiles.
She reached out with desire she just for once wanted to let her fingers trail across the two beautiful cars. One just looked like it screamed to be touched. She turned looking back over her shoulder. Neither Markus nor Brenda were looking. She wouldn't break anything she would just let her fingers glide across it.
Then the gorgeous bright yellow and black stripped car caught her eye. It was practically pulsing with the warmth of real sunshine. She was certain she could feel it. Maybe she would just touch it. Just a touch. It wouldn't hurt anything right?
She stretched her hand out her fingers mere inches from the brilliant yellow Camaro when her eyes caught on the ambulance? Her eyes went wide. She had never seen an ambulance that looked like that. What did the strange emblems mean of the sides of it? Already the beautiful silver cars were forgotten, along with the gorgeous yellow car, for the both wonderful and strange looking ambulance.
Another flicker of lightning drew her attention away from the ambulance, and to the real task at hand. She was supposed to ask the lady to come to breakfast. But she hadn't thought anything more about that after she had seen all the cars. But that was okay she was back on task now.
She remembered both Brenda and Markus being firm she wasn't to touch anything, not even the lady. Brenda said it might frighten her. So how was she supposed to wake her up? Then there before her was the monstrous black truck with all the glowing eyes.. no those were lights that had come for them.
Her breath caught, it was un-describable. It was so bright and shiny to be black, it was like a mirror she could see her own reflection. She raised her hand to touch it. The reflection raised its own hand reaching back to the touch hers. She gasp. She dropped all her fingers but one. The reflection did the same. She smiled at the image, the image in turn seem to ripple at her and smile back.
Kami wore with a start, someone was standing near her. She could feel it, but she couldn't see who it was. She was lying flat on her stomach, her right arm under her head and her left arm stretched out clinging for dear life to something. She wanted to jerk her hand away until she realized it was Ironhides front rim. Instead she removed her hand slowly feeling all the more embarrassed. She couldn't remember how she got zipped up in her sleeping bag. Then there was the dream, she could only remember fragments but that was more than she cared to remember.
The dark haired little girl come into view, smiling she signed breakfast was ready. Kami nodded and pushed up to a sitting position, her left hand still protesting. She was grateful none of the Autobots were feeling particularly chatty this morning, but she had to wonder how long that would last. They were all a curious lot, and she should know curious.
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She had just stepped off the final step on to the upper level to her personal space where the family had rested the night before. She glanced around to the kitchen area. The table was still set. Mentally she had to do an eye roll. A set table had become somewhat of an inside running joke for her and the Autobots even placements of coffee cups could set her off into fits of giggles. But at least Optimus Prime had been a gracious guest, even if Epps and Lennox had teased her endlessly after meeting the Autobots for the first time.
Brenda come into view drying her hands then she began signing. Kami had to struggle to focus she was still so groggy. Sorry they had went ahead and eaten without her. But they had saved her some eggs and there was still plenty of milk.
Kami took one look at the eggs and went wide eyed. The two eggs sat sunny side up on their plate. For a sick twisted second she thought of Bumblebee. She grimaced. Uttering what she thought was a silent moan. She didn't want any part of any half-done egg, if it was still runny it was raw. And if it was looking at her, well it might jump off that plate any second and take off running.
Fifteen minutes later she went trooping back down the steps rubbing an imagined spot off her breakfast apple. It had been hard, she was trying not to be rude. But she could not bring herself to eat the eggs.
She let her mind shift to the next task. Her intentions had been to set up Brains if he would behave himself, so the kids could watch something, but a voice broke into her thoughts.
"Is there a problem?" It was the rich refined voice of Ironhide. It made her jump. She was used to him snarling and growling at her. But when he was actually in the mood to be nice to her, or if she just needed a reassuring voice he could actually be very debonair. Much like Optimus and Ratchet, his gentle voice made her heart go pitter patter. She absolutely hated it, the Autobots on the other hand or at least Ratchet enjoyed it to the point he would on occasion tease her about it.
"No!" Her response was automatic.
"Really?" Ratchet responded. "Your heart rate is elevated."
"I don't want to talk about it." She snapped. Visions of sunny side up eggs and Bumblebee floated through her thoughts, she was certain they wouldn't get the comparison.
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Kami plugged the last cord into a port on Brains.
"Hey not so rough." Brains protested.
She froze. "Do not even start."
"Well gee, how 'bout a little-"
"Brains stop teasing, her." Ratchet warned.
Kami give a little cough hoping none of the other humans had noticed she was going red or that she was talking to someone or something. Silently she was plotting what she was going to do with that twisted little bot.
The children had settled down to some Halloween cartoon reruns while the adults talked about why they had been traveling in harsh weather. Kami sat patiently watching as they told how each of their personal stories unfolded.
Brenda explained how they had gathered together the group of children. None of them had ever actually got to go to trick or treating, and well they suddenly had the chance to get to go to their own masquerade ball. They would be with more deaf children and it was completely geared towards them.
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Elsewhere:
There was a feeling of dread in the pit of his spark. He tried to reach each of his fellow Autobots. Of the five who had stayed behind with the human femme one of them should be able to answer him. But none of them were even pinging Optimus Prime back. That was unlike, Ratchet, Ironhide, Jazz, Sideswipe, and Bumblebee. Then there was also the smaller Autobots, Wheelie and Brains. Again he was unable to reach any of them.
He paused letting his processors work the feeling of dread over. He didn't like what it kept coming around to. They weren't responding, because they weren't able to send or receive. He pondered it a moment longer, that feeling of dread extended to the human female too. So why were they unable to respond? Were the storms that heavy in their location?
Lennox sighed as Epps just shook his head, the cell phone still plastered to his ear, no doubt waiting on voicemail to intercede in her absents.
Lennox exhaled an annoyed breath. He just hoped maybe the entire reason behind none of the Autobots answering or Kami for that matter was as simple as the weather was interfering with signals. Okay so it shouldn't affect the Autobots. So maybe they were just having a Halloween party. Yeah right, that wouldn't stop them from answering. Besides he could only see two, maybe four of the 7 Autobots being willing participants in a Halloween party.
Optimus reached out to the only two Autobots that could possibly get back to the shop before he could. There was a short delay before they responded. But they happily agreed to turnaround heading back toward the shop. This left Optimus, Jolt, Wheeljack, Arcee, Longarm, and Topspin to help Lennox and the other humans with storm damage in the current town they were in. Optimus just hoped that even though the rest of the Autobots was further down south in the main line of storms that they were alright.
Optimus Prime felt a little better when 'the twins' reported in. At least they were on their way, he would feel much better once he knew the rest of his brethren and the human female were all alright. Though he was a little hesitate to send Skids and Mudflap to check on the others. After all Skids and Mudflap made just crossing a parking lot an adventure. At least that's what Kami always says. Ironhide's along with everyone else's take on 'the twins' wasn't so polite.
Epps ended the call with a stab of his finger. "Hey she probably done talked Ironhide into bullying Ratchet, Sideswipe, and the rest into having a party or something. 'Know how she gets. She gets all sweet and innocent looking. Drags toe of her shoe across the floor while standing still, hands folded behind her back. With a little sway, she'll look up to him and ask him do something nobody else could get away with asking him to do."
Lennox shook his head. His wife and daughter had similar moves. The art of being a human female.
"Yeah, I'm sure they are having a blast." Lennox waved a couple of local National Guards by with Wheeljack.
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If she stretched just a little further over she could grab the final box of decorations that kept escaping her. Her finger tips brushed it, and it inched away, again. There was a deep chuckle. She sighed.
The peanut gallery was having a blast at her expense. She glanced back down the ladder, hoping she was putting her darkest look forth for Sideswipes viewing pleasure. And if Wheelie, Brains, Bumblebee and Ratchet of all the others didn't stop the wise cracks she was going to start dropping things in their direction.
"Kami, do be careful. I do not care to explain to Optimus how or why you have come up with another broken bone."
Her hand slip a little at that, scaring the heck out of her. She wanted to tell Ratchet to not jinx her but she didn't. It must be nice the Autobots could be all sorts of chatty and she couldn't say one damn cross word, without the family thinking she was completely mad. Now she knew how the Autobots felt when they had to maintain silence.
She took one last look down at them before she started back down the ladder. She felt a little anxious? No maybe weary was a better word for it. Of all the chatty bots, two weren't saying a word to her what so ever. She figured it was safe bet to say Ironhide was still pissed at her, even after she'd cleaned him up and removed the stray limbs. She wasn't sure why Jazz wasn't on speaking terms with her. Had she somehow offended him too? Come to think of it Ratchet to, had grown silent. Why?
Brenda waited at the bottom of the ladder looking up anxiously as Kami made her way down. As she got a little closer to the bottom she handed the rope to Markus so he could bring down the final box. Brenda's fingers trembled as she longed to reach out and hold the ladder. She only had two more steps when she missed the second to last one. She come down a little harder than she meant landing rough on her feet, her left ankle shot pain in protest. But she didn't fall on her butt.
Jazz and Ironhide watched as the femme called Brenda looked panicked. She had reached out to catch Kami, but the male Markus stopped her from touching her.
Jazz buzzed Ironhide and Ratchet silently. "I told you there is something off."
"Jazz they are strangers in a stranger's home. Even if Kami treats everyone like family. Must admit the deep rooted southern culture runs extremely deep in her."
Jazz shot a growl back to Ratchets scientific view.
"Ironhide, maybe you need to explain to Ratchet again, just exactly what happened out there."
"Jazz, I am well aware of what happened out there. Our scan systems are still down, and outside communications are non-existent. I also know we lost solid contact. We did pick back up with static. I also know the lightning run the water making contact with all parties involved." Ratchet stated.
Ironhide waited a beat to see if Jazz and Ratchet were going to continue to bicker back and forth.
"I absorbed the electrical shock. It should not have affected anyone, and certainly not Kami. Her shoes were dry, as was she. Mostly. Kami is not who I am concerned about right now. I know to whose side she is on. The others, the adults, there is something that is bothering me about them. As bad as I hate to admit it, Jazz is right."
"Yes, well they are deaf. Kami is right they feel isolated. Kami hears and speaks, she also knows sign language. So that sets her apart from them, even though she is trying to help. They still are not ready to accept her."
Jazz snorted at Ratchet's assessment, but didn't bother replying.
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The humans sat around signing back and forth with the occasional passing of a notebook with pencil. The three adults were trying to figure out how to pull off a Halloween Masquerade Ball for the children with just what was on hand.
Kami sighed laying her head down against the table. They were out signing her. By the time she was on to what they were talking about, they had already went to something else. And anything useful she thought she was adding was as good as shot down.
"Do you wish me to translate?"
She shot bolt upright. She had to bite her lip hard to keep from snapping back a reply.
She excused herself from Markus and Brenda and headed for the restroom.
"No, besides how do you know sign language?"
There was much chuckling, from the peanut gallery. She was going to kick Sideswipes tires.
"World Wide Web." Ratchet replied.
She grimaced. "No I will not chance slipping and giving you away."
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She returned to the other humans, feeling a little overwhelmed until the recalled the notebook. She grabbed it up. She began drawing out the layout of her shop. What open spaces that could be used and what would be off-limits. She had a question, but she thought she already knew how they awoke in the mornings. And it was going to be that very idea that she would use to create the atmosphere of a dance floor for the children. There would still have to be some games thought up, but that could probably be fixed with the creation of the dance floor.
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She began drawing out a rough wiring schematic. Each symbol representing different strands of lights. If she timed the lights right they would flash, blink, flicker, and dance around to music. Only the children could not hear the music. In that instant she felt like the wind was ripped from her.
Ironhide sat silently monitoring the human femmes vitals he felt her ever excited highs and even her disheartening lows. He grumbled at her sudden sadness. Ratchet reminded him that was underhanded. They were not supposed to keep such close tabs on the humans without their permission unless there were the possibly of intimate danger.
"I would also like to point out asking her permission last night when she was so tired is considered pushing the limits to our code of conduct, Ironhide."
"Are we actually going to go over this? You are scanning her regularly, Ratchet."
Ratchet heaved a sigh there was no point in reminding him he was the medical officer. It was his job, it wasn't like he was keeping tabs of the human femme for the sake of keeping tabs on her. Well he was but just because he was concerned about what had happened the night before, that was a reasonable excuse right? #####################################################################################
They were actually running the lights. Maybe this was going to work after all. She still would have to pull out some LEDS, diodes, resistors, and of course spooled wire to link the LEDS and diodes together. Then there was the matter of finding the button cell flashers or those 555 IC's. She knew where they were yesterday, before half the shelving had come crashing down. But that was yesterday, and Jazz had cleaned it up. Now that never cease to amaze her, how things that weren't magnetic could still be manipulated by that sleek silver bot.
She had just finished sealing up the last piece of shrink covering the stripped wires and legs to the LED lights. She connected the battery system. The integrated circuit looked good, as did all the resistors she'd placed so now all she had to do was flip the switch.
And nothing happened. She checked the battery leads. Flipped the switch and again nothing happened.
She did a basic trouble-shooting, again unhooking everything that was detachable, before reattaching everything. And she flipped the switch to have absolutely nothing happen again.
The children seemed to visibly wilt. They were looking forward to a spectacular light show. Lights that would flash to an unheard beat but would provide them with the rhythm to dance and play along to a selection of Halloween music written to inspire care free fun. Instead all they were getting was disappointed.
Markus suggested maybe they all go have lunch and then the children could take an afternoon nap. Brenda added maybe if Kami rested for a little while she would have a clearer head and figure out what she needed to do to fix the set up. It was probably just something simple. She added as she herded the children towards the steps.
Kami sighed. She thought a moment. Change the battery. Maybe she had a dead battery. Simple enough fix, and she hadn't even tried that first. What was she thinking? She moved to change the battery as she listened to the family moving around upstairs.
She connected the final lead to the fresh battery. She inhaled, crossed her fingers, closed her eyes and flipped the switch. She was rewarded with snickers and no lights. The snickers were from none other than the headmaster of the peanut gallery as she was beginning to think of Sideswipe.
"Might want to let that breathe. Before you pass out." Wheelie was peeking out from under Ironhides front tires.
She exhaled. "Sideswipe, keep it up and I will kick your tires."
Wheelie rolled back a little further under Ironhide. No doubt just in case she decided to start small and work her way up.
"Did you pay attention to the way the Light Emitting Diodes were aligned?" There was amusement in Sideswipes voice.
She shot him what she hoped was her best murderous look.
For him to not be able to stand her earlier, he now suddenly found it fun to torment her. It was even better she could not do anything to get back at him, other than idle threats.
"The seventh one appears to be backwards."
She cut her eyes to Sideswipe before picking up the string of lights. She was just waiting on him to make another crack at her. She was counting in to the seventh diode making sure as she went all were facing in the correct orientation. When he started chuckling again.
"Other end." Ratchet finally informed her.
She sighed, sitting down in the floor. "And you've known that how long? I see now only bothering to tell me? Cute, very cute. Did I miss anything else you wish to point out now or would you rather get a little more amusement from me first?"
"Kamila', if you are very much finished with your venting. I wish to talk to you."
Kami froze. Ironhides tone indicated he didn't wish to bicker with her or anyone else. She pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her knees. She forgot the lights she had so diligently been working on earlier.
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She had finally settled in resting her back against Ironhides front wheel, answering Jazz, Ratchet, and Ironhides questions.
"Jazz, I know it was lightning. I have be shocked before albeit was not by lightning. But trust me, I know how it feels. It never hit us."
"Kamil' I know it never touched you Ironhide was able to defect the electrical shock by absorbing it. But what about the family?"
She leaned back groaning. "Jazz."
"Please Kamil'." There he went again using a shortened version of her name. She knew full well he was a swift and precise saboteur nothing to be toyed with, but when he talked to her on that level she knew he wanted something, a bit of information that meant nothing to her. It was only one of the many ways he performed interrogations, at least he wasn't building anything against her.
Kamila pressed back a little further into Ironhides tire.
"Jazz as far as I know it didn't." She stopped feeling frustrated. "I just do not know. I am going to say no. I mean… How do you-? Look, like I said I have been shocked before, oh hell yeah I knew it and so did the entire house. That hurts."
She shrugged.
"I'm going to grab lunch, I still have that string of lights to fix."
She left taking the steps slow and very quiet leaving the Autobots to talk privately amongst themselves.
Shifting over to their private comm links. Jazz buzzed. "Ratchet, what are you picking up?"
Ratchet let his sensors reach out probing all around the shop, covering both the upstairs and downstairs.
"I have seven human forms, six of which are prone. Thirteen, no make that twelve four legged creatures I am assuming are rodents. And what appears to be a snake."
Jazz took a moment to digest Ratchets assessment. Was he actually being funny? He did his own scan just to be sure.
"What vitals are you detecting?" Jazz ask, this time sounding just a bit cross.
Ratchet returned the reply with just a touch of crossness in his own voice.
"My scanners are still not detecting the vitals of the other humans. I have been unable to make necessary calibrations."
Each of the other Autobots added their own reply. Again no one was detecting any human vitals other than Kami's.
Kami crept on to the final step of the upstairs. She had worked so hard not to step on a squeaky board and wake someone when it finally donned on her, they were deaf. So they would never have heard the boards creaking. She felt heat rise up in her cheeks. She just hoped no one pointed out her silly mistake.
She looked around the kitchen. It was cleaned dishes were washed and put away. She shrugged. She grabbed an apple, for her lunch.
What Kami didn't realize is if she had of opened the refrigerator she would have found everything just as it had been when her military friends had left. The family hadn't eaten. They had no reason to. The dead after all had no use for food, at least not the sort Kamila had. They did have to have energy to maintain the current solid forms they held. But for the most part they were getting their energy fill just by being around the Autobots. Never the less they still tired and needed to rest more so than the human whose shop they were currently inhibiting.
Markus and Brenda had went to great lengths to make sure the children didn't touch anything that would put more of a drain on the generator or affect the strange automobiles below. But there had been a couple of near close calls with the children, wishing to reach out to Kami. They wanted to hug her and touch her. They had forgotten what it felt like to be alive, alive like Kami. To actually feel warm, soft, have a pulse, and to have a breath that fogged.
Her cheeks changed shades, going from a soft pink to a rosy red. They wanted to know why. Another favorite topic when Kami was downstairs was her eyes. Even though they were a light shade they seemed to have a sparkle to them.
But the really curious question even Brenda wanted to know was this girl who for the most part, who had taken them into her home trusting them and without question. Giving them free reign of her entire personal space and expecting nothing in return, was she The infant Kate all grown up?
After all there were only six of them, but when they had had the wreck Kate had been with them. Come to think of it. Katlin hadn't been with them, since the wreck. In the twenty years they'd been gone was it possible her baby had lived and could the kind hearted stranger actually be her infant daughter Kate.
If only it were so.
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Skids just barely missed sliding into the aft end of Mudflap.
"Hey, watch it." Mudflap warned.
"Why did' you stop?"
But it did not take Mudflap replying. Skids seen the gapping ravine ahead of them.
"Whatd' we gonna do, Skids?"
Before he could reply their comm buzzed.
"Twins report." It was the voice of Optimus Prime.
"Optimus Prime, we are still 10 miles out." Skids replied over a crackling link.
Mudflap of course corrected him saying they were only 9 and a half miles out.
Followed by that was the sounds of scuffing. Optimus sighed rubbing the bridge of his nose. Those two were enough to drive anyone mad on a good day and today was certainly not a good day. Wheeljack, Longarm, and Jolt stepped up to Optimus awaiting the orders to fall in and continue traveling back towards the human females shop. There no doubt was something amiss.
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Bouncing down the final step Kami took another bite of her apple, still completely oblivious to the fact there was something amiss. She stopped short of picking up the light string when she finally realized things were quiet.
"Sooo?" She ask. She let her eyes slide around the shop.
To break the silence Bumblebee responded in broken radio scans. "Why do you not use, Christmas lights, instead of making a light string?"
"Bee way too much trouble to program the sequencing of Christmas lights. 'Sides half them probably do not work."
Sideswipe snickered.
She cut her eyes in his direction.
"Alright you in the peanut gallery, if you ain't got nothing nice to say… Keep it to yourself."
She gathered up the made up lights yet again starting from the wrong end according to Sideswipe.
"Keep it up, I am going to kick your tires." She warned him as she clearly marked each end of the harness with a different color of tape.
This of course seem to fuel Sideswipes desire to tease the human female.
"Oh, promises, promises."
She paused looking down her nose at him.
"You are one warped bot. And just so you know. I am going to kick your tires."
"Oooh, sounds fun, looking forward to it. Shall we call it a date?"
She didn't say anything she just moved a little closer to Bumblebee and Ironhide.
Wheelie popped out from under a work bench watching her work now. "You do realize he is a bit of a sociopath, right?"
She turned to respond but before she could form words the raging storm that had calmed, returned just as suddenly with renewed vigor. The storm was right on top of them. There was a brilliant flash, followed by crackling, and deafening thunder. She realized too late, the lightning had hit her shop. It was even now running the electrical system. For the most part she had already powered down and locked out the equipment. There were only a few things connected and running off the generator, like the television. And Brains was connected to the television.
Kamila's heart was still racing even after she had ripped the cords from Brains and gently sat him on the floor. Ratchet had assured her that Brains was fine he would simply need to do something similar to what humans called a cold reboot.
She'd been through a cold reboot with Ironhide. It stressed her out. She bite her lip as she stood waiting in the murky darkness for Brains to come back online. She knew she would have to go try and restart the generator, if it were possible but right now all she could think of was Brains. Something bumped her, she flinched. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a flash of silver. She really wasn't focusing on who it was, she'd just assumed it was Jazz giving her a nudge of assurance. She rested against the car, massaging the hood with her fingers.
"Ratchet are you sure he is going to be alright?"
"It is a simply a form of stasis, much like a medically induced human coma." As quick as Ratchet had said it, he knew it was a mistake.
She froze her fingers balling up. In that instant Sideswipe was so very glad she couldn't bunch his hood up into that fist she was making.
"Kamila' I give you my word. Brains will come back online. It is just going to take a little time, by human standards."
The storm wasn't letting up. Lightning was continually crackling, running the buildings electrical lines. It was getting ever the closer. It was beginning to jump to any and everything that could conduct it.
"Kamila' for your safety move now to a rubber mat." Ironhide barked the command. #####################################################################################
"Optimus do you read?" Skids tried buzzing Prime over both private comm and via open air comm. All he received for his troubles was much static. Mudflap seemed to be having the same luck as he reached out trying to raise anyone of the other Autobots. "Nuthing. Ironhide isn't responding."
"Optimus isn't responding either." Skids replied as he sat idle looking at the human females shop, just about three miles away.
"So what are we waitin' for?" Mudflap started rolling forward.
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Optimus Prime, Lennox, Epps, and the others had turned back pressing through the raging waves of storms.
Optimus Prime felt a strange feeling deep within the core of his spark, there was something wrong. It was a feeling he did not recognize. All he really did understand of the feeling was that his Autobots were in possible danger and he had to get to them. He had informed Lennox that he needed to turn back. Lennox and Epps agreed they would go back as well.
The large terrestrial Peterbilt plowed forth pushing wind, water, and debris from the path of the other Autobots following. In normal routine circumstances Optimus Prime would let the smaller swifter Autobots lead and he would have brought up the rear protecting his charges from attacks from behind.
Jolt was finding the weather was making traveling hard for his compact electrically charged body, but drafting behind Prime was making it a little better, for not only him but everyone. Interesting what a slipstream could do for you.
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Kami had done as Ironhide commanded she had taken refuge on a large rubber mat. She had pulled out another spare mat and placed the still stasis form of Brains on it. Now she sat watching the electrical outlets spitting little yellow and blue tipped sparks everywhere. With each fresh strike the lightning seemed to grow in strength and get closer and closer to the terrestrial Autobot forms.
"Maybe Kami and the other humans should take shelter with one of us." Bumblebee quipped in several different radio voices.
"No." Ironhide responded.
"Ironhide is right, if one of us takes a strong enough electrical jolt, well the humans could be in even more danger." Ratchet responded.
A large bolt of lightning cracked open the sky illuminating the shop. The twins paused giving each other the once over making sure nothing was to damaged or broken as to hold them back if they needed to fight.
"Boy, I don't know what got into that human femme, 'she need to learn to keep her' road repaired." Mudflap muttered.
Skids cocked a fist back landing a blow hard against Mudflap's helm. "Stupod.. She only responsible last two miles of road leading to her shop."
Mudflap not wishing to be wailed on by his brother returned a blow which started an all-out brawl that sent them sprawling into the side of the shop.
Kami let a little squeal escape her lips, even as she held a hand over mouth. The shop was literally going to be blown and torn apart.
Again there was a rumble against the shop now at the doors. It happened again. It sounded almost like someone was trying to get in. As much as Kami thought she wanted to know what was on the other side of the door she wasn't ready to find out. In fact Kami would have just let the rumbling, slamming, banging, knocking go on if not for the little girl.
Kami yelled at the little girl Allison and waved her hands. But the child having her back to Kami she didn't know she was being called back and her attention was on the inward bugling door. Throwing thoughts of her own safety to the wind Kami went to retrieve the child from the door. She just hoped it wasn't a tornado baring down on them.
"What are your scanners detecting?" Kami called to anyone who currently could and would answer her as she slid to the girl. She had just made it to the little girl's side as the doors were twisted and began groaning as they were pulled apart.
The shop was in total darkness not a light had survived the lightning surging. Any other lights that had been connected to the generator were now gone. So neither human knew who are what was breaking into to them.
A grotesquely misshaped hand reached inward from the outdoors just as another bolt of lightning flashed. The image frightening even in the best of light was more so the small girl who had never meet one of the twins.
The scream that issued forth from the small human being scared the hearing female human as well as the twins Optimus Prime had sent back. This in turn roused both the combative and protective nature of the other Autobots.
Kami grabbed the small girl pulling her close as she heard the whirls, grinding, and clipping of Autobots transforming to their true forms. She could hear the snick followed by the slide of metal against metal and the humming of cannons powering up. Sideswipe had unsheathed his swords and she knew the vibrating hum of Ironhides cannons.
"NO! RUN!" Kami was yelling she'd forgotten the girl was deaf.
She never saw which of the Autobot scooped her and the small girl up. All she knew for sure was they had taken charge of the situation and would protect both from the new threat. Silently she was praying it wasn't a Decepticon attack. It was already going to hard enough to explain Autobots but if that explanation suddenly included 'Cons well things were going to be way more complicated.
There was cool metal against her flesh as she tugged her hoodie off. But she couldn't think about that right now. The little girl was shivering in fear, and Kami didn't know how to reassure her in the dark that they were safe. So she just bundled the shirt around her, hugged her tight and started rocking her.
Ratchet kept his frame turned in such away the two humans were nestled in a small confined corner, and against his chest plate. He could feel Bumblebee pressing his back against his. He was the second line of defense to protect the two humans. He knew Bumblebee would have his blaster out and ready. In front of Bumblebee was a very intense Sideswipe, with Jazz and Ironhide on either side of him. And then of course whatever was trying to get in to the humans. But nothing was going to get through that line up and to the humans.
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Optimus Prime locked down in the middle of a flooding road. They were about two miles from the human shop. He could see it from the road. He could even see the bickering twins, but they were still unable to detect them. There had to be something interfering with signal. He tried again to radio them, to no avail. It was no matter though, he eyed the gaping hole again. It was filled with a lot of water and debris, but he could still make out the nose of an old GMC van. No doubt it had been there quite a while.
He really wanted to check on the rest of his brethren, for they were after all like him. Yes they followed him into battles and they all called him their leader, but still they were his brethren on this alien world. He knew if Ironhide, Ratchet, and Jazz discovered him here, if all was well they would leave the charge of the human female to Bumblebee and Sideswipe. So they could talk if there had been any issues.
"Longarm, Arcee what do you make of this?"
All of the Autobots transformed and took turns looking into the caved in hole.
"How was this missed when they did road work?" Arcee inquired.
Topspin snorted. "It looks like the van has been unearthed from somewhere over there."
Longarm looked taking in the surroundings. He did a few quick calculations. He kneeled down, did a few more calculations. He stood and eased himself into the pit the van rested in. "Optimus." He gasp. His optic lenses flashing repeatedly. Giving the idea he didn't believe what his optics were showing him.
Optimus turned to a very distressed sounding Longarm. "What is it, Longarm?"
"Well take this it looks like a mud stained limb. But well I would say it is a femur. If Ratchets mentoring has been accurate in the human anatomy."
"So you're saying there is a body down there?" Epps ask.
"I believe the correct term Epps, is multiple bodies."
"What?" Lennox tore his eyes away from the cell phone dial pad.
Optimus felt a heaviness in his spark. He felt bad for the humans, whoever they had once been.
"Can anyone get a signal out? We need to let someone know we need a retrieval team out here." Lennox flicked his phone off and then back on.
The sound of a strangled scream tore Optimus Prime's optics from the hole and Longarm. Lennox and Epps had been peering down towards the hole when they too heard the scream.
Optimus didn't see the twins anymore and blast it he still wasn't reading the other Autobots.
"Come on that scream come from the shop." Lennox reached for his weapon that was always there, except for today. He swore.
"Autobots, transform and roll out, there may be danger at the shop.
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"Hey, chillax. Hold your fire." The voices were tumbling over each other. Ironhide knew those two tumbling bumbling voices anywhere.
"Ah, you two." Sideswipe whipped one of his swords down just a mere half inch from Skids face plates.
Jazz, plucked Mudflap up. "You will be lucky I do not skin your plating off, scaring 'hell outta the little chicas."
"I will skin your plating off, aft first." Ironhide snorted in their face plates. "Idiots."
Ironhide still hadn't powered down this canons, but he did step away so Bumblebee could move out of Ratchet's way.
Ratchet stepped backwards before turning, and letting the two humans out of the corner. Kami was grateful there was finally lights, she didn't care if it was headlights.
Allison gasp, and Kami realized the Autobots were no longer in their terrestrial forms and the rest of the other humans were standing midway of the steps. So Kamis secret was out. She looked up at the Autobots then back at the humans. She wondered how she was going to do PR on this. No one had ever briefed her on that little scenario. Another quick glimpse at the Autobots made her stomach do flips. She suddenly was feeling nauseated.
"Ah, gentlemen." That didn't work.
"Weapons, please." She was whispering, not that the family could hear her.
"Yeah, weapons, please?" Skids croaked.
She was rewarded with snorts, and finally the sounds of weapons being stowed.
Her hands were shaking as made her way a little further from the Autobots.
She made a fist slowly bringing it up to her chest to indicate she was sorry.
The family was unmoved by her response.
Ratchet moved forward offering his own take on the human's sign language. Kami took one look at him and felt her stomach do another flip.
Ratchet made the language look as smooth as Optimus Primes gentlest tone of voice. She wanted to crawl under something and right now.
"Is there a problem." Ratchet let his optics slide in her direction.
She tried to fight down the blush that was rising in her cheeks. She did an about face. "Nope."
The entire shop was filled suddenly with deep crackling, things began humming.
"The powers coming back on." Kami was excited.
"Ironhide, Ratchet?" It was the sound of Optimus Prime, from just at the outer edges of the drive of the shop.
Even better maybe they could suggest a way to handle this, newly developed situation.
As Optimus, Lennox, and Epps stepped through the door Kami went to them. "Ya have got to help me, we have a problem." She was babbling on.
"Yeah, I know. Kami. We found them."
She paused letting both men go.
"What. No the problem is right here. They've seen them and I don't know how to put a PR spin on this. This is seriously jacked up."
Both men looked at her, like she'd went a grown a second head.
"Hey, calm down get a jacket on. Your icy cold. Have you been drinking?"
"What? No. Hell NO!"
"Sure you have bruises down one arm and scratches on the other, you been wrestling with Sideswipe?"
Epps, pulled a jacket around her shoulders. "K' you are not making any sense, what so ever. Now what is going on? No stop take a deep breath and tell me what you are going on about."
"Do you not see the family? They are right there." She waved towards empty steps. "I know you passed their van on the road. Its stalled water got to high and took it out. Big GMC white forest green stripping. Double doors that swing out."
Lennox exchanged looks with Epps.
"Tell them, Ironhide, Ratchet. I'll go get the family they probably scared to death upstairs somewhere."
She dropped the jacket off her shoulders, heading for the stairs.
Optimus Prime looked after the girl as she headed toward the stairs.
"Optimus there is or rather was other humans here. I am having difficulties detecting their presences, now. There were six of them." Ratchet informed his Prime and the room of his assessment.
"Kamila." Her name rumbled from the large red and blue Autobot leader.
She stopped at the bottom of the stairs turning back to him.
Optimus looked to the humans Epps, Lennox and then Kamila. Then he turned his helm upward to the rafters of the building. Suddenly the entire electrical system was thrumming so loudly that even the humans were aware of it.
Standing at the top of the stairs, six more humans Optimus Prime had not met. Nor could he physically detect. He reached out with his scanners doing another scan. Nothing. He was not in the habit of doing evasive scans. In fact he did not like to even scan without a human's permission but he felt he needed to this time. Again a third time he reached out scanning, and this time he was rewarded with an eerie feeling in his circuits. Now never letting his optics waver from the six humans at the top of the steps, he stretched out his hand.
"Kamila, you should return."
Lights began glowing brighter and brighter, until too much power was could safely course through them. Bulbs began popping one by one running a course. Other sounds began permeating the air as the six humans dissipated into light that come bursting forth.
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"We are never speaking of this again." Ratchet's glare encompassed the room as he straightened, shaking off more filament and tiny little sparkling shards of glass. That he had been duped by what he thought were humans was one thing but now they knew they were ghosts was another thing entirely.
The three humans still huddled together, as one by one the Autobots straighten stepping safely away from them. "I gotta go with Ratchet on this one." Epps brushed dust and shards from his shoulders as Lennox did the same thing leaving a visibly shaken Kamila.
"Yeah, we are definitely never ever talking about this ever again." She bit at her lip trying to keep her voice in check. Not that she could hide anything from the Autobots even if she wanted too.
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Longarm, Wheeljack, Jazz, Sideswipe, Topspin, and Arcee created a barrier around the chasm as Ratchet studied the entombed van. There was nothing he or any of the others could do for the human remains. He stood his full stature, letting his gaze sweep around. He already knew there would be three not two living humans there. Optimus should never have left the curious scout with the equally curious human femme, not that the twins would have been a safer bet to leave anyone with.
Ratchet moved towards Optimus, Ironhide, the human femme, and Bumblebee. "There are only remains to account for six."
Ratchet watched the human femme shove her hands a little deeper into the jacket pockets.
"Optimus, I believe there were originally seven occupants."
Optimus listened to Ratchet, processing everything he wasn't saying as much as what he had said.
The humans had moved away looking at the detritus. Bumblebee joined them.
"The femme is not the seventh missing occupant." Ironhide replied.
"According to my calculations she is the appropriate age, but it would require analysis of the human DNA make up. To give my basic medical assessment-"Ratchet paused, he personally would not divulge what he suspected until the human femme decided for herself, if she really wanted to know.
"To think this all started on a Dark and Stormy night."