Chapter 3
"Motorcylce boy?" Candace looked at her with a raised eyebrow. This was the first time Kat saw her socially and it was a bit of a surprise to see her in a baseball cap, simple T-shirt and jeans. It looked like she should be watching a sport on television in a sports bar with a beer in her hand rather than out clothes shopping.
"that's the best I can describe him." Kat inspected a cute blouse on the clothes rack, looked at the price tag, made a face and then put it back "he was talking to his bike."
"he was what?" Candace's eyebrow shot up again.
"talking to his bike" Kat repeated. She couldn't help notice that the school-teacher-looking saleswoman behind the checkout counter sent glaring glances in their direction from time to time.
"do you think with technology so advanced these days you can talk to machines?" Kat wounderd out loud.
"my brother has voice command on his phone" Candace offered
"no, I was thinking more like just casual talking to ,I don't know, your mom's van or something."
"my mom drives a Porsche " Candace dettached herself from the clothes rack and advanced to the checkout counter where the previously glaring saleswoman suddenly was beaming with simulated warmth. She was creeping Kat out.
"Whatever. Do you think there are cars and moppeds out there that ask you how your day went or remind you to buy milk or maybe even talk to you on long, lonely road trips so you don't fall asleep and crash?"
Candace handed the saleswoman her card and thought about it.
"no, I don't think we're quite there just yet" she finally said
"have a great day ladies!" the saleswoman sang after them. Suddenly Kat saw what was making the woman act so strange. Behind her was a paper with two pictures of two young girls around Kat and Candace's age ,they even looked alot like them, above the pictures in thick block letters was printed;
BEWARE
shoplifters at large
"it's not like in Wallee-?-" Candace was saying "or I-robot" she laughed "but ,yes, I would say cars and phones these days are smarter than ever but not smart enough to take over the world yet."
"maybe Motorcycle Boy was test running some prototype or trying out a homemade invention or something."
"probably, want to grab a snack?"
"nah, I better save my appitite for supper."
"then you can watch me eat" she smiled jokingly
Kat's laugh echoed through the spacious mall as it was slowly emptying for closing time. Of course Kat wasn't interested in preserving her appitite. With the size of her allowance ,she was getting long distance from her mother, she was on a tight budget and had already spent more than she intended.
By the time she dragged her tired legs back home she was struck by her how uninteresting her Saturday was. Besides hanging out with Candace she had done the exact same thing she always did on Saturdays. Her spirits fell lower as the realizasion became clearer to her that she was reliving each day of the week the same ,around and around in circles. It was a feeling that had been slowly growing for some time.
"How did it go 'Hon?" Aunt Justine asked as she sliced carrots at the kitchen counter.
"okay ,I guess." Kat sighed letting her bags fall to the ground where she stood.
"oh, that doesn't sound very exciting"
"yeah, that's the thing." Kat sat on a kitchen stool and took one of the carrots from Justine's pile.
"what thing?"
"I'm in a rut ,Jes, a big fat rut."
"what makes you say that?"
"I do exactly the same thing for each day." Kat ranted "Like today; Saturday I go riding then I go to town. Sunday; I practice my songs, do my stretches and rehearse the choreography for the upcoming Summer Carnival. Monday; I go to school. Tuesday; I go to school. Wednesday; I go to school-"
"but ,honey." Justine stopped her "that's because you're in school."
Kat thought for a moment.
"I just feel like I'm suppose to be doing something cool ,like, really cool."
"you will be. If you're learning so much at McHaussen I'm sure you'll wow the audience right out of their pants."
"no, I mean something cool in a different way"
Her Aunt stopped slicing tomatoes to give her a confused look.
"like maybe..I mean ,I'm not..." Kat raked her brain for the right words but nothing seemed right.
"are you saying you don't want to persue a career in the theatre anymore?" Justine tried to help her.
"no, not at all." she sighed "I don't know what it is I want right now."
"oh, honey, listen." her Aunt waddled around the corner of the counter and took her hand "This is just a phaze, don't worry about it. You're still young, you'll figure out what you want and how to get it in no time."
"but-"
"and there's nothing you have that a fine roast can't cure." She smilled making her way to the oven and pulling out a ceramic pot from which the most heavenlyest smells came from.
"Dinner!" she bellowed.
Kat decided to leave her gloomy feelings behind for the evening and Auntie Justine was right; roast meat was what she needed. The family gathering was cheerful and Kat was glad to be part of it. As Austin ,her Aunties dear hubby, served the roast around the table she realized even though her life didn't seem to be going anywhere she had the best place in the world to wait and think things through.
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Smokescreen was leaning on a steal girder of the wall as he watched Ironhide lovingly dismantled and inspected every part of his famouse plasma cannons. He and Arcee had been informed of the potential danger of the bountyhunter and the strict off-base rules now in play, in that they weren't allowed to leave the base or even the two buildings assigned to them. Ratchet was busy trying to patch together spark signature cloakers with the bare scraps of supplies he had left ,other than that there didn't seem to be much of a plan...yet. Ironhide certainly had a plan, if it included him or not Smokescrean didn't know, but he hoped it did.
"I don't get it." He started "Why did Deathstrike land on the other side of a big, salty ocean from us if he's here to hunt us?"
"beats me" Ironhide screwed on a cylinder ring to one of the barrels of his cannons. He manadged to get most of the red dust off but a few streaks of the stuff still clung to him.
"and is waiting for him really our best option?"
Ironhide snorted "hardly."
Smokescreen pulled himself away from the wall and squated down beside the weapons specialist who was sitting on the floor like a youngling playing with toys.
"I want in." he said quietly
Ironhide stopped fiddling with another cylinder ring and looked up into the face of the less experienced Autobot.
"in on what?" Ironhide asked innocently
"oh please," Smokescreen rolled his optics the way Ratchet did sometimes "You're fragging Ironhide! You're an action 'bot. 'Waiting' isn't even in your vocabulary database."
Ironhide didn't respond but continued to assemble his weapons.
"you're up to something and I want in-" Smokescreen demanded ,forgetting that the flimsy Human structure carried sound like an amplifier.
"shsh shut up." Ironhide hissed hoarsly ,clamping a tight grip on the younger frontilner's faceplatings and roughly pulled him lower. They both listened. They heard nothing but the dull buzz of Ratchet's drill in the other building.
"well?" Smokescreen pesterd "am I in or not" he pulled Ironhide's hand away.
"definitely not ,kid." Ironhide shoved one plasma charger into the base of one of the barrels and it clickled into place.
"I can't just sit here and wait for what ever to happen. I want to meet the enemy head on when they're not ready for me. I want to see their glitched up faces frozen in fear as I blast my way through them."
"I'm not babysittin' the newbie."
"I'm not a-" Smokecreen caught himself then in a much quieter tone he continued; "I'm not a newbie. I've seen action many times before."
"uh-hu" Ironhide shuttered one optic slightly closed as he peered through his other cannon barrel.
"I can watch your back and..." Smokescreen held up his arm were the phase shifter was snuggly clamped to his wrist joint "...I can go through solid objects at will."
Ironhide appeared to be silently impressed for a few moments as he looked at the device. He knew about it and the way Smokescreen made it his signature combat tool.
"still not happening ,kid" he stood up ,clamping his own bad-boy signature combat tools into place. He stood ,a clean two heads taller than Smokescreen.
"if you don't take me" Smokescreen stiffened to his full hight "then I'm gonna tell Ratchet."
This caught Ironhide's attention and he halted midway through the cut-out in the wall that connected the two Human buildings together. He slowly turned to face the young frontliner anger seething quietly.
"you wouldn't dare" He growled.
"or would I?" Smokscreen raised a brow ridge "the question is ,can you risk it?"
Ironhide's anger boiled but Smokescreen knew he had him. He glared at him for long minutes
"Very well" he grumbled ,additude hanging heavily on the words "but ,for the All-spark's sake, be quiet." He turned around again and left the building. Smokescreen followed but at a respected distance.
"so, what's the plan?" he asked ,keeping his voice well bellow the loud buzzing of Ratchet's work.
"that's the plan." Ironhide tilted his helm in the direction of the silent ground bridge that took up almost half the building "we'll wait until Ratchet leaves."
"the ground bridge? but we don't have enough energon reserves for even a short jump."
"I checked the fuel gage. There's enough for one." Ironhide whispered
"just one? then how will we get back."
"I'm sure we'll find a way."
"what?" Smokescreen's optics grew wider "have you even thought this through?"
"if you want out now, then-"
"no, no, I'm good."
"okay, then." Ironhide returned to the other building "all we have to do is wait for the Hatchet to leave his post."
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"Again." Madam Jemonette said as coldly as she always did. She was one of Kattashley's choreography instructors. A sullen woman in her late forties with dark hair tied into a tight up do and dark eyes. She was so strict she could've made the Nazi's quiver in shame. Where ever she went she always carried an elegantly carved walking stick with her. Kat didn't know if she needed it to help her walk or if she just liked it. Some of the other students thought she used it on the really bad kids but Kat never saw or heard of anyone getting a beating.
Kat's muscles were screaming for a rest but she went through the steps of the dance again ,leaping magestically into the air and landing as elegantly as she could.
"sloppy, sloppy, sloppy!" Madam Jemonette snapped, thudding her cane on the wooden floor boards. "You're centre of gravity is off! and for the love of all things under the sun, get your knobby arms straight!"
Knobby? Kat knew she was a little on the frail side but she certainly DID NOT! have knobby arms.
"better," her instructor said after she did the jumps again "Now do it again."
Kat mentaly rolled her eyes and took half a second to catch her breath.
"What are you waiting for ,stupid girl, again!" the cane thumped on the floor loudly.
"Madam Jemonette? when can I have my break?" Kat asked as kindly as she could. She had been going for hours without one and her lungs were on fire and her heart was doing tripple time.
"when you do it right"
Somehow Kat knew that would be the answer.
"again!" 'thump' went the cane.
It was well after four in the afternoon when she was finaly set free. Every inch of her body was tender and sore. She took her time with a cold shower and putting her street clothes on after which she felt better ,though still not the best. It was six by the time she left the McHaussen building and stepped into the fading light of the evening. It was Sunday so the streets were deserted. Anyone who went somewhere for the weekend was there already. At first she was upset at herself for forgetting her duffle bag in her locker but then she was glad she didn't have to carry anything. She missed her bus. There was a small park infront of McHaussen building and on the other side was another of the bus's stops if she could cross the park in time she could catch it but when she reached the stop she didn't know if she beat it, or missed it. She was just trying to figure this out when some lights flashed in the alleyway across the street. She jumped and all her senses were hightened at once. She probably wouldn't have noticed them if it wasn't so dark ,the setting sun had retired early behind thick storm clouds. The shops on this side of the park were all closed and locked up for the night and and there wasn't a single living thing in sight. The sound of metal scraping on cement grated her ears then the sound of speeding cars. Lambert was a safe neigborhood as it was pretty much out of the rest of the city but there had been news reports of a gang in the area that had a habit of hoasting illigal street races. Slowly her fear left her and was replaced with curiosity. It would be pretty cool to see that for herself. She crossed the street and peered through the opening of the alley ,craning her neck to try and see.
Lambert sat on a gentle rise that stretched away from a slow moving water way that was dry this time of year and the empty concrete bed would be ideal for hiding anything as loud as an illigal car race. This is what Kat saw. Or, at least, that's what she thought she was looking at. She snuck closer ,the roaring of motors and grinding of metal getting louder. She soon saw that it wasn't a race. One car ,a dark one, suddenly turned around at top speed without losing conrtol and smashed right into a dark green one that was almost twice it's size. It looked both delibarate and painful but neither car crunched from the impact as was expected. Then something happened that made Kat feel like she was dreaming. The dark green car suddenly shifted and changed shape. In less than five seconds something very large with massive arms and a head with glowing eyes stood in it's place.
"fore!" it grunted ,picking up the black car and throwing it into the side of a building. There were more black cars zooming around and another one drove straight for the changed car ,changing itself into a being with glowing, red eyes and spiky points on it's back. It made an angry growling sound as it pounced at the dark green car thing. Kat's brain couldn't make sense of it all ,so she just stood there at the top of the waterway ,watching as the titans fought. A flash of light from the corner of her eye caught her attention. A third giant being had crashed through a street light ,ripping it from it's base.
"IS THAT ALL YOU GOT CONS!" a terrible voice bellowed from a forth being who's every step made the Earth tremble under Kat's feet. This being had what looked like small horns on his head reminding Kat of a minoutar. He was the closest to her and the sight made her knees buckled under her and she fell to the pavement. Big bangs rang out and bright flashes of intense light exploded on something at this bellowing beast's iron legs.
"COME ON ,THEN!" he roared like thunder ,returning fire from two enormous guns he had on his giant arms.
A sound came through the titan battle. One she could recognize. A motorcycle. It zoomed up the bank behind the minoutar beast and into the air, landing a few paces away from her and screeched to a halt. Before the rider even hopped off and removed his helmet, she knew exactly who's face she'd see.
"you!" she said ,jumping to her feet and jutting an accusing finger at him.
"you!?" Motorcycle boy said at almost the same time.
"Jack! cover! now!" Kat looked up to whomever spoke and stumbled backward and landed back to the pavement.
The face was made of delicate-looking pieces of metal and bigger than she was tall! The head was only part of a whole new titan, the eyes shone blue ,almost white, the face was serious and maybe a little angry. This all only took a second to notice. She only had a second. Motorcycle boy grabbed her hand tightly and half dragged her half led her back to the alleyway.
"What are you doing here!" he demanded as bolts of light exploded behind him.
"I...I...was." Kat started but her thoughts were all over the place and she was having a hard time collecting them. She saw the minoutar monster over Motorcycle boy's shoulder throw a mighty fist into the head of another spiky enemy. The blow sent the metal being hurtling backwards several yards. Suddenly Kat found herslef runnig away back towards the light of the farther end of the alleyway where everything looked normal and unawar of the terror on this end.
A strong hand caught the sleeve of her jacket and pulled her to a jerky halt.
"let me explain!" Motorcycle boy said, turning her around again.
An explosion hit very close to the opening of the alley making the ground shudder almost knocking them over.
"a-actually let's keep moving" he stammered ,tugging her farther up the alley.
"what are they?" Kat heard herself squeak.
"robotic beings from outer space." he said ,pulling her behind him. He had a crude-looking gadget in his hand and held it in the air like a TV remote.
"what?" Kat wasn't sure she heard him right.
"I'll explain later, right now we run."
They ran out of the alley and across the street where he stopped ,his eyes never leaving the small screen on his TV remote.
"aliens?! they're aliens?!" she babbled ,the only way to stop her head from spinning was to dig her finger nails into her temples.
"that's what they are. They came here because their home planet was destroyed by war and they're trying to keep Earth safe from the same fate." He held up the device higher and frowned "weak signal. Again."
"what?" Kat said , more annoyed than scared this time. At the distance they were at now the battling robotic beings sounded more like a dramatic demolition derby ,apart from the obvious cannon fire now and then.
"no, no, no, no" Motorcycle Boy shook the remote franticly "don't die on me now, we're so close."
Kat raised an eyebrow in suspicioun of his sanity.
His shoulders sagged in defeat as the gadget gave a final pitiful fiz and a puff of smoke.
"what's going on?" Kat asked ,not understanding anything she saw.
"we just lost this round" he sighed ,sinking to the curb.
He looked so sad she forgot her confusion and sat down beside him.
"is there anything I can do?" she asked. She hadn't a single clue what she could do .She didn't even know what was going on.
"no," he deadpanned "unless you know how to get to a place called Rodger's Transit Depot."
"the trucking company? yeah I think so" she didn't know exactly where but her daily bus ride to and from McHaussen took her past their big billboard.
Motorcycle Boy's head shot up like a ground squirrle jumping out of it's barrow.
"it's not far." she told him ,glad to see the sparkle back in his eyes.
"quick! take me there!" he sprang to his feet.
She hurried down the streets looking for the billboard. A few blocks later ,there it was, hanging above them. She was hoping that the company had their actual address printed on it. She craned her neck up at the big sign and scanned it back and forth.
"that's it?" Motorcycle Boy panted next to her. She was quite tired herself and her body was still sore from choreography practice but she was begining to like this adventure and was now eager to see it through.
"hopefully they have their address up there." she told him "and there it is." she pointed.
It wasn't far and with a few shortcuts through back alleys they soon were hooking their fingers on the chain-link fence that bordered the company's property. It sat right beside one of the freeways on the edge of town. It was dead silent and cold. There were dim yard lights eluminating two rows of parked semis and the main building on the other side of the yard.
"right" Motorcycle Boy said pulling harder on the fence "I'm going in."
"wait! that's trespassing!"
"I can't worry about that now"
"what about guards"
"I'll be careful" he still was climbing
"they might have guard dogs"
He paused ,one leg suspended in the air as he was about to swing it over the top of the fence. He hesitated a moment debating the odds in his head then shook his head.
"I have to do this" he said looking down at her "It's very important to the Autobots-the robotic beings."
She didn't say anything, the deep desparation in his eyes had frozen her for a moment as she ,in turn, debated with herself. She could just leave him now to do what ever it is he was doing and go back to her mundain life and never know the end of the story. She was certain he wouldn't stop her or even blame her for anything if she did. Or she could follow and see what happened. Maybe he would need her help again.
"alright then" she said before she could change her mind "I'm coming with you."
"What?!"
"I'm seeing this through, and you owe me anyway" she began climbing after him.
"What do I owe you" he demanded
"I showed you how to get here, didn't I?" She reached the top and gingerly slid one leg over the top.
He was quiet for a few seconds.
"It might be dangerous."
"I'll just have to risk it then."
He didn't like it but he waited for her.
"We better stay out of the light as much as possible." He said creeping to the left into the shadows.
"good plan" Kat's heart was pounding but she made herself stay calm. She never did anything like this before. "Now what?"
"now we move as quickly and as quietly as possible to the building over there" he whispered
"got'cha." she whispered back
It was a eerie place to be at night and surprisingly low security. Not a peep of a guard ,or guard dog for that matter, not even any alarms. Motorcycle Boy pulled out his cell phone and put it to his ear.
"Arcee, my tracker died, I might be moving in on the target now" he said into his phone then listened as the person on the other end said something "I'll try not but get here as soon as you can"
"Who's Arcee?" Kat asked when he put his phone away
He answered by shushing her with a finger to his lips. She heard it to. A strange grunting and jabbering noise like a crazy person having a seizure. They crept to the side of the building and peeked around the corner. Kat would've screamed if what she saw didn't frighten her so badly.
There were three robotic beings in the parking lot in front of the building all crouching over a deep pit they were digging. Their eyes glowed red and their features were identical to the ones she witnessed being smashed up in the alley.
"drones..." Motorcycle Boy whispered when they pulled away from the corner again.
"What are they doing?" Kat asked.
He shrugged "I don't know, but if I guessed I'd say something they want is buried there."
"what do we do now?"
he thought long and hard
"wait for backup, I guess" he shrugged
"that's it?"
"what else do we do"
"I don't know, I was kind of expecting more" she said ,her eyes drifting to something moving towards them. She made a hoarse squeaking noise as she realized one of the 'drones' had heard them and was stalking up to them.
"itscomingitscomingitscoming" she franticly whispered unable to do much else, but Motorcycle Boy had more cool than her about it. Grabbing her hand he dashed in the other direction down the length of the building. Kat saw the giant claws clutch the corner then a head with glowing red eyes glared at them. They found themselves face to face with more of the chain-link-fence and to their left was a brick wall of a garage. Neither of them had to comment about the deep trouble they were in now as the giant robot with the glowing red eyes became more terrifying with each thumping step. One of it's hands was shaped like the barrel of a gun. Time seemed to stop. The loudest thing Kat could hear was her own heart beating in her head. The thing was so alien and strange like something from a halusination. Kat was sure they were doomed.
A car suddenly rushed at it from behind crashing into its legs sending it to the ground. The car was a dark blue with yellow racing stripes and other colours but Kat didn't have time to really notice anything because the car shifted form so quickly and in one smooth movment that it took her several seconds to realize what was happening. The racing car kicked the red-eyed monster in the face before it managed to roll to the side and pounce to it's feet ,it's gun-hand firing up.
"Oh, no you don't" Racing Car said grabbing and twisting it's arm making the monster grunt. Racing Car's other hand grabbed the monsters neck and yanked something out ,sending sparks flying everywhere. Then there was a loud noise of a weapon and the next thing Kat knew the monsters metal parts were scattered across the parking lot and the monster ,itself, lay limply at Racing Car's feet. Racing Car ,then, turned and looked straight at Motorcycle Boy. It's eyes glowed a rare blue and a yellow mark sprouted from the middle of it's blue helmet. It had a gentle-looking face though there was barley a sign of a nose. It smiled as it knelt down ,so as to be closer to the teenager's hight.
"Hi, Jack, thought you could use a hand." it said casually
"Smokescreen" Motorcycle Boy sighed walking towards the strange thing "A few minutes later and we'd be smeared"
"Yeah ,well, I was in the neighborhood" Racing Car's smile widened as Kat's ears picked up the sound of nearby crashing and banging. More fighting.
"Hey, who's your friend?" it asked pointing a metal finger at Kat that was about as wide as her own waist. This is when Kat realized she was half laying half sitting on the ground supporting herself by her hands in an awkwardly twisted position. Motorcycle Boy spun around and looked at her blankly like he hadn't seen her before. He hurried to her and helped her up like she was a fragile girly girl.
"That's funny" Motorcycle Boy said quietly "I didn't even ask your name"
"It's Kattashley."
"It's what?" He looked confused. Kat didn't mind, lots of people were confused by her unique name.
"Kattashley. Kat for short"
"Hi, Kat, I'm Smokscreen. Smoky for short" The Racing Car said. It's voice wasn't scary but Kat still jumped with surprise.
"you all right?" Motorcycle Boy asked as he guided her wabbly walk away from the chain-link fence.
"yeah" she said ,though she'd been better. Her head was throbbing and spinning from all the excitment. For a while she lost sight of Racing Car Smokescreen until she realized that he had stood up and was walking slowly with them back the way they came.
"who'd have thunk it" she said to herslef ,cradling her head with one hand
"what's that?" asked Motorcycle Boy
"That...that you" her head was spinning terribly ,making it hard to consentrate. "That you ,weird, nerdy Motorcylce Boy, had those and did this"
"Motorcycle Boy?" he asked pulling her around the corner of the building to the front where there were steps to sit on and rest. There were the robotic beings she saw fighting in the dry waterway. The bulky green one was wandering around collecting the dead drones that were scattered around the pavement while the black minoutar and a much smaller light-coloured one were curiously examining what ever was in the hole in the pavement.
"this is all so totally confusing" Kat sighed, realizing how tired she was.
"I can explain it if you want."
"yes, please do, or my head will explode"
"okay" he took a deep breath and began.
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