13
"By the Allspark if I see another Decepticon again he won't live long enough to look me in the optics," Ratchet growled as he attended to his patients. There were four Autobots and three humans lying on his make-shift tables. Nick stood back, pacing worriedly around. Heather, Kiara and Bruce fit together on one table. Stalk, Blurr, Optimus and Strike occupied the other tables. The other Autobots were busy cleaning up the remnants of their exploded base.
"This is not good; this is not good," Nick shook his head. "What am I going to tell my boss?"
"You're boss?" Ratchet snarled. "What about these seven lives? Help out you useless blob of flesh!"
Nick reeled backwards in shock. He stood there for a moment, and then walked forward, pulling himself up onto the table with the humans on it. "You'll have to handle them," Ratchet told him, "because I know next to nothing about human medical sciences." He flipped his right hand around into a welding torch and went over to Strike. "This will be the second time I rebuild him," he muttered.
Optimus propped himself up onto his elbow, "It's a good thing that Blurr was near, or the humans might have not made it."
Ratchet finished with Strike and began to weld Optimus' arm on. "They were very fortunate," he agreed. "They caught part of the blast, but it could have been much worse."
"How are the others?" Optimus asked.
"Strike is the worst," Ratchet replied, "and even he only has his legs and one arm blown off. Stalk's are only superficial, but she's out cold."
Optimus nodded, "That's good. And the humans?"
"Only time and my scanners can tell," Ratchet sighed. "Now rest, Optimus. Let the energon adjust." Optimus laid his head down and stared into the sky.
Ratchet walked over to Nick, "How are they doing?"
Nick looked up at the med-bot, a stethoscope dangling from his ears, "They're fine. Scratched, bruised, and cut, but nothing life-threatening."
Ratchet nodded, "You came prepared."
"I have to," he shrugged. "You might want to get them home," he motioned to the teens.
"I'll have it done," Ratchet assured. "You should get back to your home to. Try to stay away from any Decepticons."
Nick opened the door to a black exotic sports car and threw the first-aid kit in, "I will."
Ratchet tossed him his cell phone, and Nick stared at it, not knowing he lost it. "Call me if you ever need help." Nick nodded, got behind the driver's seat, and drove off towards his work office.
Nick drove into his reserved parking spot and got out. He headed into the building, nodded to the woman at the front desk, and got into the elevator to go to the seventh floor. It was time to tell his partner about the Autobots and get them a new place to stay.
Nick got off of the elevator and entered his cushy office. He collapsed onto the chair and turned to his computer. There were no messages on his e-mail. He heard foot-steps and turned. A man with red hair and brown eyes was leaning on the doorjamb.
"Having a rough day?" Brandon asked.
"You have no idea," Nick sighed. It's now or never…
"I have something to tell you," they chorused at the same time. The two burst into laughter.
"You first," Brandon said, pulling up a chair opposite of Nick.
"No, you go," Nick insisted.
"Alright," Brandon reclined in his chair. "I have made the greatest discovery of all time!" Nick leaned forward in his chair, clasping his hands on the desk. "I have discovered a race of living machines from a distant galaxy. They call themselves, Decepticons." Nick's stomach dropped as did his hands onto his lap. "Now I know this is hard to believe, but it is the truth. They are honest to god living machines. They think, talk and feel. Anger mostly." He was shaking with excitement.
Nick clenched his hands under the desk. "What?" he tried to control the anger in his voice.
"Isn't it great?" Brandon asked, leaning on the desk.
"Great?" Nick muttered. "You've sided with the enemy!"
"Eh?" Brandon asked.
"The enemy!" Nick stood up and leaned close to Brandon. "You've sided with the enemy!"
"The…enemy?"
"The Decepticons!" Nick snarled.
Brandon scrambled back, "You mean the winning side?"
"I mean the ones who want to destroy mankind! It's the Autobots you should be siding with."
It was Brandon's turn to be angry, "Those losers? The Decepticons have offered me a place in their empire."
"Good luck trying when they wake up Megatron."
"Megatron? He's here?"
Nick crossed his arms and turned towards the door, "I was going to tell you I've allied myself with the Autobots. You'll be sorry when your world falls apart."
"No, you'll be sorry!" Brandon yelled as Nick walked out the door. He didn't even bother to use the elevator as he headed for the car. He didn't want to be there anymore.
Once Nick got to his car he got in and opened up the contacts list in his cell phone. He dialed the number of his boss and put the phone to his ear. "Hello, boss? Yes, this is Nicholas Brunt." He smiled as he pulled out of the parking lot. "Yes, I have a favor to ask of you…"