HELLO!

You didn't think I forgot about you guys now did you? Nope!

Chapter 3

(Point of View switch from first person to third)

Prowl took his attention off of Bumblebee and switched it to Spike. His visual scanners told him the human was scared. His heart muscle was pounding and his skin temperature dropped a degree. Prowl didn't like it. A human knowing that the Autobots were here, among them, was a major security risk. He'd have to tell Prime, but taking the human to the Ark was out of the question.

"Optimus isn't going to like this." Prowl sighed. He flipped open a compartment on his arm.

Spike stood there, as best he could to look calm, but he could tell he wasn't fooling anyone.

"What're you doing?" Bumblebee asked.

Prowl looked Bumblebee straight in the eye with a look of pure seriousness.

"I'm radioing Prime. He needs to know." Prowl said sternly. "Plus I'm hoping he'll have some idea of how to sort this mess out.

"Prowl to Ark…Ark, are you reading?" Prowl said as he spoke into the compartment in his arm.

"Reading you Prowl, what's up?" Said a voice from inside his radio.

"I need to speak with Optimus Prime, we have a code 5." Prowl told the voice on the receiving end of the radio. "I repeat, we have a code 5."

"What? An Energon explosion?" asked the voice in a panic.

"No! Code 5! Human/Cybertronian interaction!" Prowl yelled into his radio. "Energon explosion is code 15!"

"Oh! Ha ha!" Said the voice. "Sure thing Prowl…"

Bumblebee looked down at spike and smiled weakly. He was just as scared as Spike. Spike couldn't help but feel responsible for everything, but he was glad Bumblebee stepped in when he did or otherwise he'd be a cold cadaver right now.

"What's going to happen?" Spike asked Bumblebee.

"I'm not sure."

Spike looked back and jumped when he saw Prowl staring right at him.

"Spike was it?" He asked.

I nodded.

"You're that human that Sunstreaker was complaining about, aren't you?" He asked in the same accusing tone.

"That yellow Lamborghini?" I asked in a nervous snicker.

"This is Optimus, Prowl what's happened?" A new voice, more deep and smooth than the last one, came out of Prowl's radio. "Did you locate Bumblebee?"

"Yeah," He told Optimus. "and something else as well."

"Where are you now?" The voice asked, sounding more urgent.

"I'm a less than a breem off the main road." Prowl said.

Spike couldn't stand feeling helpless. He'd felt that way for so long, he just hated it. What if he ran? No, that'd be a dishonor to Bumblebee and Prowl would just run after him. Also, Spike was sure he wouldn't be able to out run him, even if he tried. He owed Bumblebee for saving his ass in the alley. Spike felt cold, even with the sun blaring down on them.

Prowl pushed down the radio back into his arm after speaking some more with this 'Optimus Prime' and walked up to Bumblebee.

"Ok," He said flatly, "Prime's coming. He wants to talk with the human."

Spike felt like he was going to faint. He was starting to think going to the police wouldn't be so bad. At least he'd get some food, he was famished. Duke's bodyguards had made him unwillingly spit up his breakfast. Spike put his hand to where the bullet had grazed him and was surprised to feel wet blood. He was sure it hadn't been the serious. He pulled off his jacket and looked at his partly stained t-shirt. There on his shoulder was an inch wide gash with blood caked on over it, sealing the wound from further bleeding.

"That looks painful," Bumblebee added as he too noticed Spike's wound.

Spike shrugged.

"It looks more painful than it is." Spike admitted. "I'd forgotten about it before just now."

Prowl didn't seem to be paying either of them any mind. His focus was away from them and out towards the desert.

"Will you be OK?" Bumblebee asked.

"Sure." He said. "One guy in the garage got hit in the leg when I first joined up and he never went to the hospital and he's fine."

Bumblebee looked at Spike.

"Why were they trying to kill you anyway?" Bumblebee asked.

Spike shifted uncomfortably. He didn't want to tell him he used to be a member of a gang. He wanted to keep up the innocent victim façade up a little longer.

"Spike?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Spike told the Autobot, his face directed to the ground.

Bumblebee looked down at the human with slight concern.

"Ok…"

"You were running from that human with the firearm, right?" Prowl asked, still looking out to the desert. "You're part of a street gang."

The dart hit the bull's eyes perfectly.

"How'd you guess?" I asked solemnly.

"I didn't," He said. "You said you were the human Sunstreaker met last night, meaning you were involved with illegal activity. Also the man who fired at you, I saw his wanted poster some nights ago while I was learning your country's laws.

"Bumblebee, you saved a criminal. No better than the Decepticons."

The way Prowl called him a criminal made Spike angry. And he had no idea what a Decepticon was.

"I'm not a criminal!" He yelled in self defense.

"But you were-", Prowl started.

"I know what I did!" Spike continued on in a yelling rage. "And I know what I did was illegal, but it was the only way! It doesn't make me a criminal. Not like Duke! So never lump him and me in the same group, EVER!"

When spike gain his composure back he realized what he had said and regretted it. He was afraid Prowl may become angry and maybe kill him. But Prowl just stood there, his face motionless as he searched Spike's own eyes to see whatever he thought was there.

He smiled and chuckled.

"All right, my mistake." Prowl snickered lightly than turned back to watch the unchanging desert.

Spike let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"Wow Spike." Bumblebee said. "I've never seen anyone stand up to Prowl like that."

Spike laughed.

"Yeah?" Spike asked. "Don't let me do it again."

Spike and Bumblebee shared a laugh.

"Here he comes." Prowl announced.

Spike immediately felt the coldness return ten fold. Out in the desert's heat he could see a dust cloud forming around a red object. A blow horn told him it was a truck and by the time it got close enough to see fully, a really big truck; a semi truck to be exact.

Spike stepped back behind Bumblebee in his nervousness, almost as if to hide behind him. Out of the three Cybertrinians he'd seen so far, Spike trusted Bumblebee far more, and for obvious reasons.

The large red Semi-truck was driving at abnormally fast speeds, as Spike observed. He didn't even think a vehicle of that bulk could go that fast, but he was being proven wrong as he starred on. The Semi slid into a stopping skid when it got close enough and a wall of dust engulfed them all. Spike had to hold his jacket up to his face to keep himself from breathing in the dirt. As the dust began to clear he heard the sound he'd come to recognize as transforming. When it all had dissipated with the wind Spike was left looking up at a Cybertronian of a stature he'd never imagined. He was tall for one thing. He was taller than Prowl and at least twice the height of Bumblebee.

Spike looked up at the giant with eyes wide with wonder and fear. He shook with nervousness as he gazed right into the behemoth's light blue eyes.

"Optimus, I can explain-"Bumblebee began, but the Autobot put his hand up to silence him. Bumblebee said nothing else.

"You've done enough, Bumblebee." Prime said lightly to the small Autobot. Bumblebee looked at the ground, hurt at his superior's harsh words. "Prowl?"

"Yes?" Prowl said as he took a step to get into Optimus's sight.

"This is the same human from Sunstreaker's incident last night, correct?" He asked, still keeping his eyes on Spike.

"Affirmative." Prowl admitted. "The Human has already collaborated with our earlier theories."

"Good." He sighed with relief. "We didn't need two incidents within the same Orn."

"With all do respect, Prime." Prowl began. "Bumblebee was only doing what he thought was right."

"I know Prowl," Prime told him. "But he needs to be more careful. We can not afford any more slip ups."

Then Prime walked up to Spike and looked down straight into the human's eyes. Spike jumped at the sudden movement.

"What's your name?" Prime asked in a soft tone.

"Eric, but everyone knows me as Spike." He couldn't help but say his fake name. Just standing in his presence humbled Spike greatly.

"Fair enough, Spike." Prime nodded satisfied. "I must ask you with my deepest sincerity not to reveal any of what you have seen to any of your people. Your meeting with us and Bumblebee must stay a secret. It's in the greater interest of your species."

Spike nodded.

"You have my word." Spike said entirely serious. "I won't say anything."

Prime seemed taken back with Spike's words. He hadn't expected the human to be so willing to keep his peace. He also knew that just the entire experience of it all was enough to give his word, but was it enough to keep it? Optimus didn't know if he could really trust this human. But he knew there was a good chance even if he did tell anyone, that he wouldn't be believed. But there was always a chance for anything to go wrong that could go wrong. And this could defiantly go wrong in their opposing favor.

"I thank you for your cooperation." Optimus nodded. "Bumblebee?"

Bumblebee looked up from his sulk.

"Yes, Prime?"

"Take Spike to wherever he needs to be then report back." Prime's words were more of a warning than an order. Bumblebee seemed to pick that up and nodded solemnly.

"Yes, sir."

Bumblebee transformed back into a small yellow VW Bug and opened his driver's door. Before he got in, Spike looked at Optimus in the face.

"Don't go too hard on him, sir. He was just helping me and I may not be the President or anything like that, but that has to count for something."

Spike climbed in quickly and Bumblebee drove off towards the highway back to the city.

Optimus and Prowl looked on as the two drove off.

"He's right, Prime." Prowl added. "Bumblebee was just following his spark. Besides, I rather enjoy that human. He's got brawn for a creature so small and frail."

Prime chuckled at his Security officer's comment.

"We'll see, Prowl." Optimus nodded and transformed back into his Semi truck form. "We'll see…"