A/N: I don't know if there's anyone still reading this, but I just have to say how completely sorry I am that it took me so long to update this story. I've had this chapter typed up for weeks but never found the time to post it. I just put it through its final revision and can finally post it today. I will try my absolute best to update again soon, but I haven't even begun the next chapter.
As always, Transformers Prime/Rescue Bots and its characters do not belong to me, and they never will.
Cody had never seen so many Autobots in one room before. One would think that the noise in the bunker would be deafening, but the thirty-foot tall red and blue 'Bot at their head was more than capable of keeping them all composed.
He had been just as surprised and overjoyed as the others when Optimus Prime came to them online and more or less in one piece. After Ratchet's admittance of how their base had been abandoned with their commander inside Cody's hope for his return dwindled with every passing day, as he suspected it had for the Autobots as well. But the jubilation at his reappearance could only last so long before Optimus called both humans and Autobots to order.
There were sixteen Cybertronians altogether, and Cody heard that there were four more still roaming the island. Despite his joy at the presence of more Autobots, it was surprisingly disconcerting to find his and the Rescue Bots' space invaded with so many unfamiliar beings.
Cody's father and Doc Greene stood on one of the catwalks that had been installed around the bunker, far enough from the unfamiliar Autobots to observe them as a whole and hear Optimus speak at the same time. Frankie remained glued to her father's side, not by choice but out of the doctor's worry that his curious daughter would wander too close to the weapon-toting Autobots. Ms. Darby was contacting Agent Fowler through a secure comm. line in the Command Center with Raf's help, and Bumblebee looked rather despondent by his best friend's absence. The other children, Jack and Miko, accompanied their own partners. The former stood beside Arcee, looking up at the Prime with obvious relief in his features. Miko sat on Bulkhead's shoulder with the same bored look on her face that she sported whenever Boulder or Doc Greene sought to educate her on the science behind some new contraption or other.
Cody's siblings had left to calm the townsfolk after receiving a number of panicked calls over the emergency comm line. Many had worried that they were being invaded by the fearsome aliens that the news continued warning them about, and so Kade, Graham, and Dani had quickly departed before Huxley could do anything with the rumor, asking to be filled in on anything that happened while they were gone. Everyone else filed into the bunker so they wouldn't alarm the citizens of Griffin Rock with the sudden manifestation of sixteen gigantic robots standing outside the firehouse.
Cody himself was held in Blades' arms, the helicopter-bot almost using him as a shield against the stares of his fellow Cybertronians. The other Rescue Bots stood around them in varying states of agitation, and when Optimus gathered the room's attention, Cody felt Blades go rigid.
"Autobots," Optimus began, his rumbling tenor echoing slightly from the high ceiling, "Much time has passed since we were all together, and I have come to realize many of you have changed since we last met. We have lost comrades and gained others. The Great War has ended, and the Decepticons no longer threaten our planet. Now Earth is the one at risk from Megatron's wrath, and most importantly, its seven billion inhabitants.
"You cannot imagine how it relieves me to see you all, and I am honored that you would decide to fight alongside me once again." Optimus met most everyone's gaze before continuing. "I admit the circumstances of our war have changed. The Decepticons are many to our few, but we are strong and I believe that each of you will fight with the courage befitting ten Autobots." He seemed to falter for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "Especially with so much more at stake."
The Autobots exchanged uncertain glances at the catch in their commander's voice print, but it was one of Cody's family members who voiced their unease and broke the silence.
"Optimus," Charlie said as his dark brows furrowed in consternation, "what do you mean?"
The Prime's chassis rose and fell in the smallest of noticeable inhales, before intoning, "I have found a way to revitalize Cybertron."
A hush fell over them all once again, and Cody found that he'd suddenly lost the ability to breathe. In an instant every Autobot was jostling to be heard, their shouts reverberating from the ceiling, and in their faceplates Cody saw a dichotomy of hope and terror. The boy also noticed that the Autobots who came to the island with the Prime stayed silent upon their leader's announcement, their faceplates remaining prudently neutral as they moved aside to allow the others to say their piece.
Optimus lifted both servos to quiet them, and a sharp command silenced the Autobots. "Using the Forge of Solus Prime, I will be able to rebuild the Omega Lock and restore Cybertron. The only possible way for this to happen would be for us take on the Decepticons ourselves before Megatron has amassed himself a larger army, and use their Spacebridge to send us to Cybertron. While I understand that some of you may not wish to risk yourself for a planet that is not your own, I trust you will not be as cautious when it comes to the fate of our planet."
Once again, a heavy silence fell upon the Autobots. Even Miko, who had been flipping through the photos on her phone, looked up with her mouth agape at the news. At a glance to the Rescue Bots, Cody found them as stonily silent as the others. Blades, ever one to be nervous, began to lightly run his thumb along Cody's back, succeeding in calming the boy somewhat, but not the 'bot.
"Sounds like a good plan to me! When are we leavin', I'm sure Megsy 'ill be happy to see me," Jazz suddenly commented, and he proved to be the antithesis to the Autobots' incredulity as a light swell of laughter rippling through the group, human and Cybertronian. Cody felt Blades' hold loosen significantly as the tension left him, although he noticed with some trepidation how Heatwave's features were still pinched in uncertainty.
"Thank you, Jazz," Optimus said, not without a small smile. "Although it may be still be some time before we mount our assault." The tension in room having dissipated, the Prime moved onto other matters. "The Dinobots have already expressed their wish to accompany us, if only in order to exact their revenge upon Shockwave, who is confirmed to have survived the Spacebridge explosion on Cybertron. They are currently running a perimeter check of the island."
"Dinobots?" Cody whispered, the name unfamiliar to him, though it did give a name to the four Cybertronians still accounted for, and he craned his head back to meet his friends' optics to ask for an explanation. The question was already on his lips when he noticed the Rescue Bots' expressions. They all appeared stricken at Optimus' statement, openly gaping with optics wide and Heatwave was quick to voice his discontent.
"The Dinobots, sir?"
His accusatory tone and volume carried all the way to the Prime, and the fire response robot instantly gained the room's attention. Heatwave appeared unconcerned by it, and Cody felt the small bit of uncertainty within him turn into a tightening vise around his heart when he read the genuine fear hidden behind Heatwave's ever-present anger and the trembling of his servos.
"With all due respect, Optimus, the Dinobots aren't to be trusted, least of all around the humans. From the dissertation you gave us, they're way too dangerous to even stay on the island."
Cody watched Heatwave stand tall against the stares he received from a few of the others Autobots as they sized him up (to the boy's surprising realization some of them even looked younger than the Rescue Bot, but who was he to guess how aliens aged). Optimus, at the anterior of the assemblage, lowered his head in acquiesce.
"I understand, Heatwave. The Dinobots will be kept as far from the humans as they will allow. As it is significantly more difficult for them to travel undetected, they will require a more secluded place of lodging as the firehouse is unacceptable."
"Ah, Optimus Prime, sir?" Doc Greene called from off to the side, temporarily releasing his daughter in order to take a step forward. "I would be happy to provide my laboratory building as a place for some of your Autobots to stay, in the confidence that they will not interfere with my work."
"The offer is greatly appreciated, Doctor Greene," Optimus said, and turned back to meet Heatwave's gaze, wordlessly requesting if the precautions would suffice. Heatwave nodded and backed down, and the proceedings continued.
Cody couldn't help but look on in worry as Optimus went on with his council. Looking from the Rescue Bots to the battle-honed Autobots around him, he could only wonder how his best friends would fare against the fabled Decepticons when the time for battle came.
Cody's siblings returned to the firehouse just as the impromptu meeting ended. The many Autobots dispersed, mostly at the urging of their human companions if they had any, their excited babbling disappearing as they took the lift to the ground floor. Only the Rescue Bots remained below, with Optimus speaking in private to Chief Burns, Doc Greene, Ms. Darby, and Agent Fowler via vidcom. Kade, Dani, and Graham, while miffed at being excluded, took the chance to get to know some of the newer arrivals.
The Rescue Bots carried Cody off to their corner of the bunker near the bookshelves and the boy cherished the silence as he had nothing else in the past weeks. The 'Bots spoke softly above him, but cradled in Blades' warm servos with the whirring of the helicopter-bot's systems beneath his ear, the noise was easily filtered out. It would only be a matter of time before his brothers and sister returned and would refuse to be left out of the metaphorical loop any longer, and Cody wouldn't have any peace for the remainder of the day. He would take what he could get.
As Cody finally drifted off to sleep, Blades released an intake that made his frame wilt. "Finally," he whispered in relief, despite the knowledge that Cody was a tremendously deep sleeper.
"He hasn't gotten much recharge, has he?" Boulder rumbled worriedly from the helicopter-bot's side as Blades gently shifted Cody into a more comfortable position.
"Approximately four to five hours a night, sometimes less," Chase said.
Heatwave folded his arms over his chassis with a growl. "And how would you know that? You got cameras hidden in the humans' rooms?"
Chase fixed his leader with an odd look. "I have no need for recording devices when Chief Burns regularly informs me on the goings on of his familial unit."
"Will you two stop arguing, you'll wake up Cody!" Blades hissed as the boy turned and mumbled something in his sleep. Heatwave and Chase avoided eye contact, shame drifting into the former's expression.
Seeking to clear the sudden tension in the air, Boulder unnecessarily cleared his throat. "So…things are going to be a lot different now, aren't they?"
"Indeed they are, Boulder."
The Rescue Bots started at the gravelly baritone that answered, and all but Blades snapped to attention, fearing any abrupt movement would wake the boy still sound asleep in his servos.
"Optimus," Heatwave said and his posture loosened. "How long have you been standing there, sir?"
"Not long, Heatwave," Optimus replied, stepping nearer to the small group. "I only just ended my call with Agent Fowler when I overheard you four speaking about your young friend." At this, the Prime's optical ridges furrowed slightly as he looked over at the preteen. "How is Cody?"
"Cody Burns currently suffers from sleep and nutritional deficiency, sir," Chase said in his usual clipped tone, "likely stemming from a subconscious worry of Decepticon attack brought on by the arrival of so many Autobots to Griffin Rock."
Blades whimpered softly at Chase's ready delivery, holding Cody closer to his chassis as if to block out the police-bot's harsh prognosis. Boulder took a step forward, resting a servo on Chase's shoulder, likely staunching the recitation of ailments for each and every human and Rescue Bot. "We're worried about Cody," the construction-bot said simply.
"Yes, as you should be," Optimus said softly, and Boulder lowered his optics when the half-blind Prime looked his way. "These are uncertain times, and as such, we should all remain vigilant. I worry for the humans as well," he admitted, his gaze lingering on the boy a moment longer. "While far from defenseless, Megatron would destroy them on a whim given the chance. Defeating the Decepticons is all we can do to amount for the danger we have put them and their planet in." The Prime's optics sharpened, seeking out Heatwave's. "This is why I must inquire about your unit's combat training thus far."
Chase moved forward to answer, and likely list their many faults, but Heatwave beat him to it.
"We're doing alright, considering the circumstances," the fire-response robot hedged. "With Ratchet and Doc Greene's, albeit hesitant, help we were able to create our weapons but…we aren't all that comfortable with outfitting our systems for them just yet." Heatwave's gaze trailed meaningfully to the holsters that Rescue Bots all sported now, the handles of their blasters visible except for Blades', who had his gun stowed on a ledge on the other side of the room, as far from him as possible.
"I understand the transition must have been…difficult," Optimus said ruefully. The rescue force was never meant to take part in this war against the Decepticons, but there was no choice now.
Heatwave rolled his shoulders in the guise of nonchalance. "It's not so bad, Optimus. Boulder can actually hit a moving target now!"
The construction-bot in question smiled readily. "It was a day to be remembered, sir."
Optimus still appeared unconvinced, and Blades piped up. "Don't worry about us, sir. Change might be hard, but we'll do anything we can to protect our humans. They're kinda like our family now."
The Prime finally offered a small smile, though it was clear that the matter was far from abandoned. "I am happy to hear that, Blades. Now that our ranks have been significantly bolstered, your training—everyone's training, in fact—will be increasing considerably."
"We look forward to it, sir," Heatwave answered tiredly, ignoring Chase's mild glare at being exempt from the conversation. Optimus suddenly canted his head to the side as he received a message over his private comm. line.
"Is something wrong?" Chase asked quickly, before he could be silenced again.
Optimus shook his head. "No, Ratchet has only requested my presence in his laboratory. We will continue this another time, if Ratchet ever allows me to leave his care," the Prime finished in a rare show of humor, to the sympathetic chuckle of the Rescue Bots.
"I see that you have outfitted your this area to your specifications," Optimus said as he entered Ratchet's new lab. It possessed all the requisites of the old one and more, likely built with help from the more scientifically-minded inhabitants of the island.
"I made modifications as I saw fit," Ratchet responded, his back turned to the Prime as he busied himself with something Optimus couldn't see. Without turning, he pointed at an empty berth. "Sit."
Optimus complied with a small smile. "How have you been, old friend?" he began calmly, patiently waiting for the medic to pay him attention.
"Unchanged," Ratchet returned simply, and from his new angle Optimus could see that he was looking through a microscope. "The amount of aft-headed 'bots I've had to repair has been at a minimum, but with your new troops that seems subject to change."
Optimus nearly chuckled at his medic's familiar cynicism. "They are all good mechs, Ratchet. You cannot deny that you at least lamented their absence?"
"I could live without the Twins," Ratchet scoffed, flipping off the microscope light and removing the slide. "And the Dinobots," he added after a moment.
The Prime knew Ratchet was not genuine in his complaints, and thus only smiled as the aged Cybertronian puttered around his lab grumbling to himself. "What were you studying, Ratchet?" he requested as the medic glanced at his battered frame and went back to rummaging through his tools to find what would be needed for repairs.
"A sample of synthetic energon," Ratchet replied, finally walking over to the berth as he fiddled with his scanner, leaving his tools behind on the counter. "There is an abundance of scientists upon this island and many have been helpful in further stabilizing the formula. I believe it is almost ready for its intended use."
"That is relieving to hear," Optimus said as Ratchet scanned him. "Our reserves are running low once again, are they not?"
Ratchet nodded as he studied the results of the general scan. "Indeed. With so many additions to our team the synth-en will be necessary." He seemed to find his leader's vitals adequate as he closed his scanner and moved to stand in front of the seated Prime. Grabbing an ophthalmoscope from a nearby counter, he muttered, "Now let's see that optic."
Optimus lifted his head obligingly, and Ratchet flipped on the light and instructed for him to follow it. Only one optic obeyed, the other remaining motionless and gray beneath its lens. Ratchet moved the light again with the same response and turned it off with a small disappointed exvent.
"Who tended to your wounds, Optimus?" Ratchet asked, deploying his scanner again.
"Wheeljack possesses admirable talent in the area," he supplied, and Ratchet shuttered his optics.
"Wheeljack?" he repeated incredulously, though without malice. He trained his scanner on Optimus' faceplate. "I never would have guessed…"
Optimus made a thoughtful sound as Ratchet ran his second scan. "Apparently he was the Wreckers' medic when the need called for it."
The scan finished with a chirp and Ratchet turned to the monitor that displayed the results. He clicked his glossa disapprovingly. "Your optical nerve is severely damaged." He looked back at Optimus. "Did this happen when Megatron invaded the base?"
"There was no invasion, Ratchet," Optimus corrected, his tone and posture suddenly speaking volumes of his exhaustion. "Rather, the Decepticons completely obliterated Omega One. I was caught in the resulting explosion. It was how I lost my limb and my vision."
"I-it's gone?" Ratchet whispered, a servo planted on the counter to keep his suddenly frail frame upright. They both knew that Autobot Outpost Omega One had been more than just their base. It was a symbol of them, their perseverance and will to go on with a bloody feud that had already transcended eons and taken billions of lives in the process. And now with its destruction, they had retreated to the far reaches of the nation while the Decepticons celebrated in their new fortress.
Optimus reached for the medic with his good hand, the servo catching Ratchet's wrist. "We must not entrench ourselves in the past, Ratchet. Our focus must be on the present." He gently released the older Cybertronian. "Now please, complete your diagnostic."
Ratchet offlined his optics for a klik, nodding whilst he did so. "Yes, of course." His own, more vulnerable tone took on a familiar crass infliction. "Well your nerve is fried to the Pit," he snapped, and while the complete 180 in temperament might've had some bots' logic circuits doing cartwheels, Optimus was more than used to it. "Not only did many of the more sensitive wires fuse together, it seems bits of shrapnel were also imbedded in the nerve, though they seem to have been removed… courtesy of Wheeljack?"
Optimus nodded, the familiarity of Ratchet listing his wounds and subsequently chastising him for them a comforting familiarity. "We were both…worse for wear at the time and repaired ourselves with what we could before locating the others."
"How did you do that, by the way?" Ratchet questioned as he scrutinized the scan of his leader's optical nerve more closely, a frown tugging at his lips.
"We utilized the Ark as transport," Optimus replied, noting how Ratchet's shoulder guards jumped in surprise. "We were cautious with our energon expenditure, and managed to locate our new teammates with relative ease. Although, the Dinobots were fortunate to have found us—" Optimus cut himself off with a wince when Ratchet suddenly swooped down on him and jabbed a needle into a main energon vein in his neck cables, injecting the clear liquid before Ratchet turned back to the counter as if nothing happened.
With a small exvent Optimus rubbed the newly tender area of his throat. "Ratchet—"
"Ah ah ah," the medic interrupted, whirling around to face Optimus again with his scanner out, the blue light trailing over Optimus' replaced limb. "Don't move, you'll interfere with the scan."
Optimus relented until Ratchet completed his third scan.
"Was that necessary?" he said as Ratchet looked over the readout. Notable fatigue had already begun to infiltrate his vocals.
"Indeed," Ratchet affirmed, not even bothering to deny. "Knowing you, Optimus, you haven't received nearly as much recharge as you should have, and I would rather not have to drag your sorry frame back here when you fall into stasis lock. And you'd never agree to medically induced stasis…" He lifted a servo to his chin as he squinted over the reports onscreen. "Hm. I might be able to reconstruct your original servo, with Doctor Greene's assistance…"
"Thank you for your concern, old friend," Optimus said, his posture beginning to sag, "though I cannot say I approve of your less than honorable methods."
Ratchet flippantly waved the Prime's concern away, his backstrut still to Optimus. "Yes, yes. Get some rest, Optimus. I will see to the replacement of your limb when you wake."
Optimus was hesitant to waste any amount of time, even for recharge, but the pull of the drugged and distilled energon Ratchet used was too strong. Gradually lowering himself onto the berth, Optimus exvented heavily. "Ratchet," he mumbled after several moments, startling the medic. Most mechs would have been dragged under by now, but this was Optimus so he shouldn't have even been surprised by his leader's admirable if foolish resistance.
"Yes, Optimus?" he responded, facing the inert Prime.
Optimus was on the verge of slipping into recharge, his optics shuttering slowly, but his velvet timbre was the same, if drowsier than usual. "What…is your opinion on the Autobots who accompanied me here?"
"They are all good bots," Ratchet responded warily, uncertain of the Prime's non sequitur. When Optimus still lingered, the medic raised an optical ridge. "Did you mean one of them in particular?"
Optimus cycled a shaky exvent, struggling to remain online. "Drift…"
Ratchet nodded in understanding. "I haven't much information on him as a solider though his silence is a welcome change." He was quiet for a breem, watching Optimus lose his battle against the beckon of a power down. Ratchet hesitated, but the question that had nagged at the back of his processor since Arcee had contacted him about the appearance of the most recent additions rose unbidden. "Do…do you know who Drift is? Was?"
Optimus did not answer for many kliks, and Ratchet wondered if he had slipped into recharge, before he faintly heard the labored answer leave his Prime's lips. "Former Decepticon…Deadlock…."
Optimus finally succumbed to his exhaustion, his cycles evening out and his fans nearly silencing. Ratchet left him to power down, organizing his laboratory as the evening's developments buzzing around his processor.
"'Play nice', he said. That's what he told us to do," Wheeljack scoffed, irately kicking one of the Burns' dumpsters and sent it flying into the bushes behind the firehouse. The Wrecker grunted, pressing the heel of his palms against his optics in a surprisingly human example of frustration, as if to block out the deceptively perfect blueness of the sky. "Is there anything to do here, Bulk?" he demanded of the green behemoth advancing upon him, and both he and the girl on his shoulder chuckled.
"You just got here, Jackie. Give this place a chance." Bulkhead looked skyward as well, though he wasn't expecting a Decepticon air raid like Wheeljack was. "It's nice here. Calm down."
Wheeljack only rolled his optics, studying the terrain and brightly colored human structures across the street. "Yeah, Bulk, 'cause calm and me go together so well."
"You could go up to the Griffin Rock Lab," Miko suggested, and when Wheeljack turned his attention to her she elaborated. "Doc Greene is GR's resident Ratchet. The stuff he makes, when it doesn't blow up or try to kill you, is pretty cool!"
Wheeljack grunted again, more thoughtfully this time it was. "He doesn't sound so bad," Wheeljack considered, and as he spaced out again Bulkhead's optic flickered toward his charge.
"As a matter of fact, what're you doin' here, Miko? I thought you'd be hanging around the new 'bots for the next couple days."
Miko shrugged, though the noncommittal gesture was belied by her grin. "I figured I should give 'em some time to get used to Griffin Rock and being around the others before I get acquainted with them." She swung her legs with a smile that had abruptly turned mischievous. "What do you know about the Twins, by the way? Ratchet looked particularly happy to see them."
Bulkhead groaned, though he did so with a grin and he playfully jostled the girl perched on his shoulder. "You three would be perfect for each other. I feel bad for Ratch already."
"Hey!" Miko cried in mock affront, making a show of pushing her friend's faceplate away. "You're one to talk!"
"I wasn't the one who welded the Doc's wrenches together."
"They're perfect!" Miko declared, unbridled enthusiasm in her honey-colored eyes, and the pair dissolved into snickers.
"What do you think of the ninja-bot? Drift?" Wheeljack said suddenly, his back to them, and Bulkhead clammed up almost instantly.
"He seems okay…" Miko began uncertainly upon noticing her friend's darkening features.
Something like a growl emitted from the ex-Wrecker's throat and he crossed his arms. "He's a slippery petro-rat, and we shouldn't trust him."
Miko blinked at her guardian's damning tone. "Wow, Bulk. Harsh much?"
"He's right not to trust him," Ironhide interrupted, ambling over from the garage.
"And why's that?" Miko questioned belittlingly as the crimson mech reached them. Ironhide was a good deal taller than Bulkhead, and his icy blue optics pinned her like a bug, the pinpoints of light severe in his heavily scarred faceplate. When the girl didn't even flinch, Ironhide went on.
"He's a Decepticon," Ironhide said, relenting slightly, "or was." He gestured toward Bulkhead. "He looked familiar before, but then you brought it up. My memory banks aren't what they used to be."
Wheeljack didn't seem surprised by the news, truthfully he didn't even show any sign of hearing them other than the slight twitch of his door wings giving him away. Miko, however, went ballistic.
"A 'Con?! Optimus brought a 'Con here?" she demanded, grabbing the side of Bulkhead's faceplate and audial finial to pull herself up without falling.
"Idle your engine, kid, Optimus wouldn't take such a risk if he thought Drift was dangerous," Ironhide interrupted, put Miko was unappeased.
"What if Optimus doesn't know? We could all be in danger! That 'Con could be thinking of ways report to Megatron about our position right now!" By now, Bulkhead had begun to cover his charge with a servo, as if to muffle her complaints or hide her from Ironhide's glacial gaze. Either way his attempts were unsuccessful as Miko simply spoke over his servo and used his wide digits to pull herself up. Bulkhead noticed how Ironhide seemed to flinch as he raised his arm to stifle the girl, almost like the veteran thought he was about to backhand him, but Bulkhead quickly put it at the back of his processor as Miko attempted to crawl over his servo and continue her tirade.
Thankfully, they were saved from a verbal spar when Wheeljack spoke up. "Grimlock called him a traitor," he said almost mildly, and both Miko and Bulkhead looked to him in surprise.
Ironhide grunted in a remarkably Wheeljack-like way. "Technically no. Since he's only been an Autobot since Prime recruited him. Beats me how he got the tech to receive Prime message… The only bots Drift ever betrayed were the Decepticons." He leveled his biting gaze on Miko and then the two Autobots. "And we might be next. So stay sharp, and don't turn your backs on 'im."
"Aye, aye, cap'n," Wheeljack drawled, though, unlike most 'bots who were commonly inclined to introduce Wheeljack's face to their fists, Ironhide only rolled his optics at his subordinate's mocking.
"You two scrapheaps can amuse yourselves here while I go on patrol."
Bulkhead's optical ridges furrowed at the older Cybertronian's statement. "But most of the team's already—" He was unable to continue as Ironhide folded down into an impressive garnet truck, its revving engine drowning out the rest of Bulkhead's sentence. As Ironhide disappeared into the fringe of pine trees behind the firehouse, Bulkhead cast a raised optical ridge in Wheeljack's direction. "Makin' friends, Jackie?"
Wheeljack snorted. "Hardly." He canted his head toward the girl on Bulkhead's shoulder, clearly still riled by the veteran's announcement. "What're you so worried about, Miko? Ol' 'Hide's gone."
Miko clearly would have burst into another ill-timed rant if it were not for the more relaxed postures of her guardians. Grudgingly admitting there was no immediate danger, she sat back down with a huff. "Well excuse me for being the least bit concerned about the Decepticon playing house in the bunker."
"Ex- Decepticon and I are pretty sure Drift went to round up the Dinobots," Wheeljack corrected absently.
"Whatever," Miko stressed, before eyeing the Wrecker oddly. "By the way, why aren't you gunning for him?"
When Wheeljack remained silent, Bulkhead caught Miko's trail of thought. "She's right Jackie," he said, taking a few steps closer to his friend. "I woulda thought you'd be the last 'bot to willingly go along with an ex-Con. And you're officially part of Team Prime? What's up with that?"
Wheeljack shrugged, still looking over the town. "Eh, things change, Bulk. And I'm pretty sure I'm needed here…at least for the time being." A familiar smirk slid onto his faceplate. "As soon as the 'Cons are scrap, I'll be off to the stars."
"But what about Drift?" Bulkhead persisted, moving to stand in front of Wheeljack. "You traveled here with him. Can he be trusted? Around the children?"
Wheeljack turned away from his cloud-watching to look his friend in the optics. "I'm not too sure, Bulk," he admitted, allowing his gaze to linger on the anxious expression of the human on Bulkhead's shoulder. "Drift hasn't done anything too incriminating, besides being quieter than Soundwave, but who knows? We'll have to be careful, like 'Hide said." His smile became easier and levity settled as he casually popped a gear in his backstrut with a stretch. "Now c'mon, let's check out this island for ourselves."
"But half the team's already on patrol!" Bulkhead snorted incredulously, Wheeljack transforming despite his complaint.
"We're not goin' on patrol," Wheeljack corrected with deliberate slowness, as if he were speaking to a sparkling, "we're doin' a little…sightseeing."
Bulkhead groaned as memories of Wheeljack's past "sightseeing" expeditions filtered through his processor, mainly composed of extraordinary explosions, shrapnel in his backside, and a few dozen furious Decepticons on their tail while Wheeljack cackled like a madman. But Miko looked so elated at the prospect and he knew he couldn't keep her cooped up at the firehouse for much longer, at the same time thankful for the distraction Wheeljack had provided.
The ex-Wrecker transformed grudgingly, and as soon as Miko hopped into the front seat Wheeljack gunned his engine. Bulkhead followed, and was sure to give him directions for the nearest off-road route before Chase came tearing after them with sirens blazing to reprimand the both of them about speed limits and the proper pathways to be taken by motor vehicles.