Yessenia gasped, after two years Charles had finally found Rafael, finally lived up to his word.
"How… how did you find him?" Yessenia asked in surprise
"Cerebro" Charles replied "I caught him using his powers and was able to pinpoint his location. I then made an inquiry on your behalf and found that he is being adopted by a woman with son about your age"
"Really, that's wonderful." Yessenia sighed "You mentioned his gift what is it?"
"It is something that some have labeled as technopathy, it is defined as the ability to control and communicate with technology with the mind. His powers developed at such a slow pace that I'm not even sure he ever really realized what was happening he could just do things other children couldn't and that seemed normal to him" Charles smiled
"Can I see him; I'd love to meet the woman that will be his mom." Yessenia smiled
"We will see; we have another mutant in that location I don't see why we can't at least check on him"
"Can I talk to him, let him know who I am?" Yessenia asked "I want him to know who I really am. I know there are things he wants to know, things I already know"
"I don't know Yessenia"
Meanwhile the bots were being made aware of an Autobot ship that was about to crash land on Earth. It was small only registered one Autobot signature.
"Unknown ship, this is Autobot outpost Omega 1, what damage have you sustained?" Optimus asked
"Critical damage sustained Optimus" the mech replied
"Jazz, is that you my friend"
"Yes"
"Are we sure that is Jazz?" Ratchet asked
"One hundred percent vocal match… that is Jazz" Optimus confirmed
"It's been nearly a century, hasn't it?" Ratchet wondered
"We can wonder the details after we are sure our comrade is safe" Optimus said
"I'll man the ground bridge" Arcee stated
"Do you not wish to be there for our comrade?" Optimus said
"I only know Jazz by Reputation, you and he are friends, Bumblebee looks like he's going to pop if he doesn't get to go and we all know after a crash he's going to need a medic and probably the kind of protection only a former wrecker can give"
"Okay Arcee, if you insist"
Jazz groaned and pulled himself out of the wrecked craft to see several Autobots headed his way.
"Good to see friendly faces" he said as Ratchet started to scan him over
"Good to see that you are still around my friend"
"Good to be still around, and if it isn't that crazy scout, Bumblebee" Jazz smiled as Bumblebee let out an excited string of chirps and clicks
"Vocal processor still not what it used to be"
"Never will be, unfortunately," Ratchet sighed
Optimus placed forth a question only Jazz could truly answer and got back a good response
"What was that all about?" he asked looking to the wrecker whose name he couldn't quite come up with.
"We had a fake Wheeljack come through a few months ago, got to be sure we're not being duped a second time" the wrecker said
"Don't take this the wrong way but what is your name, I know you were a wrecker but that's all I know"
"It's Bulkhead, Arcee's running the ground bridge"
"Arcee… I've heard that name before, haven't seen her before"
"Well you're going to get the privilege of meeting her in a few" Bulkhead laughed "Arcee could you reopen the ground bridge, same co-ordinance"
"You got it!"
They arrived and Jazz noticed the absolutely tiny cobalt fem-bot standing in the middle of the floor
"So Megs is up to his old tricks again" he said coming to rest with his left forearm across her helm.
"Yes, he is and you don't move that arm you will find yourself leaking Energon!" she said in a low warning tone
Jazz didn't think much of the threat; Arcee was a small bot, he figured he'd be able to get out of the way of whatever weapon she took to him.
'This bot's going to make me hurt him!' Arcee thought ruefully as she summoned her left blade. Then, with the kind of speed Jazz could only dream of, Arcee struck leaving a mesh wound that leaked Energon.
"Optimus…"
"You were warned, Jazz… but Arcee in the future"
"I know don't injure allies" she muttered walking away from Jazz who was about to protest when he was caught by Ratchet
"Let's get you repaired before you leak too much Energon" Ratchet muttered "picking on a superior, you ought to know better!"
"Superior… she's…" Jazz said questioningly
"She's a commander you're a first lieutenant"
"Oh"
After Ratchet finished the repairs Jazz went back to Arcee
"Look I was just having a little fun, I didn't realize you outranked me, I'm sorry"
"As long as you don't pull a stunt like that again we'll be just fine" Arcee said as she started towards the ground bridge
"Where are you going?" Jazz asked
"She's going to see Jack Darby" Ratchet said as he set up the bridge co-ordinance. This was a bridge he had preprogramed due to the fact that they used that particular co-ordinance so often.
"Who…?"
"Human teenager… my junior partner" Arcee stated
"Long story" Ratchet droned
"What me to get that?"
"Whatever" Arcee sighed as she transformed to vehicle mode she rolled through the bridge into the peace and quiet of the Darby's garage. Jack had promised her a nice wash and wax. After what happened today she really looked forward to… what to her felt almost like a massage.
At first she had protested the idea since she always prided herself in her ability to be self-sufficient but after a particularly rough mission she caved and it became a weekly routine from there.
"Hi Arcee" Jack said from where he leaned on the garage wall "So how are things on base?"
"We have a new bot… real comedian" she groaned
"What happened?" Jack asked as he got started
"He decided to use my head for an arm rest while he talked to Optimus" Arcee explained "I told him to move it, he didn't and well he ended up leaking Energon from a mesh wound"
"Arcee" Jack snapped in surprise
"What can I say, he asked for it, and we agreed it won't happen again so all is good'
"Okay, and um… Arcee things are changing a bit around here too"
"How…" Arcee asked skeptical that she was going to find this change pleasant.
The garage door opened as June pulled into the driveway. She got out of the car.
"Oh yeah, forgot that was today" she smiled as another got out of the back seat. Arcee recognized the little boy instantly as Rafael
"Hi Arcee" he stated as he walked by suit case in hand
"Hi Raf" she replied pleasantly, but it was obvious she wasn't expecting him.
Raf and June went inside and Jack noticed Arcee's rear view mirror adjust to get a view of him
"Why was I not informed of this?" she demanded
"I… I couldn't find the right way to say it" Jack sighed
"Oh well, what is it you humans say, its 'water under the bridge' now?"
"That's right"
"He lives here, right?"
"Yep, has his own bedroom and everything, it's going to be really good for him to actually have a family and not have to worry about moving from place to place all the time" Jack smiled
"Stability… defiantly something we all need"
Jack got a peculiar smile on his face
"What are you thinking, Jack?"
"Just thinking about Jazz, I'll bet if you had your way he'd be headed back into deep space" Jack shrugged
"Or into the nearest black hole"
"Arcee…!"
"Relax, Jack, I'm kidding… about Jazz anyway… but if I did have my way Starscream would be headed straight into one!" Arcee admitted "Then I'd send Arachnid in after him!"
"What's the likelihood that would ever be possible?"
"I don't know, a girl can dream, right?"
"True" Jack shrugged
June walked with Rafael to his new bedroom, pushed the door open and watched as Raf's eyes lit up at the sight in front of him.
"This… this is too cool… but how did you…."
"Jo teamed up with Jack to pick things out for you" June explained
"It's mine… it's really mine!" Raf said as if trying to digest that every amazing object in front of him was actually his.
June smiled as she watched him explore the room and check out the new toys that had been purchased for him. She started to leave him to play but the n heard him begin to speak in a different language. She stopped to listen and realized it was Spanish.
June returned to the garage to speak with Jack and Arcee.
"June, this was a bit of a shock, I would have loved to have some warning" Arcee stated
"I'm sorry, Arcee, I really thought Jack had told you"
"You know the other bots need to know of this"
"I'll let them know first thing tomorrow" June declared
"If you don't mind my asking, why did you wait?"
"I wanted to be sure I was going to be able to adopt him, which basically meant waiting until I had him home" June sighed "I didn't want word to get to him before I could explain everything. The only problem is this is your home as much as it is ours and… well you should have been informed when Jack was and, Arcee I apologize for that oversight"
"Apology accepted"
Two days passed and Charles and the X-Men were in Jasper Nevada, but the plan had been made that they wouldn't go by the Darby household.
"Yessenia, this has been an ordeal for Rafael, let him settle into his new home, then I'll set up a time for you to see him" Charles told her softly
"Okay, Professor" Yessenia pouted less than pleased with the prospect of been mere blocks from her brother but not being able to see him
"Yessenia, you know how big a change this is from going to a foster home to a permanent one"
"I know" Yessenia sighed and looked up as she noticed a chopper swop down on a yellow muscle car
"What the hell?" she wondered as she noticed a little boy about twelve in the passenger seat
"That's Rafael… why is that copter attacking him?"
"I do not know" Charles replied almost completely appalled by the sight before him.
To Be Continued…