NSNV Ch.5 - 'Full Disclosure'
Mikaela wasn't that surprised when the familiar form of ambulance was the first to arrive at the look out. Both Sam and herself knew that the medic had chosen to stay in Tranquility and make himself useful to the local hospital as an emergency vehicle when not 'on call' with the Autobots. Ratchet had probably been on stand-by or off-duty tonight and let himself out of the garage the second Bumblebee's comunicade went out. The familiar and distinct shifting, clucking and humming noises that accompanied a transformation began and Mikaela found herself watching Ratchet transform with the same sort of reverent awe the first time had inspired.
It didn't matter how many times she had watched Bumblebee or any of the other autobots shift like this, the fascination and wonder hadn't faded in the slightest. Actually it was only the fear she had felt the first time witnessing the change that had disappeared, and that only made each time experiencing this more special. Of course, she would be enjoying this even more if the serious tone of what was happening and what she was going to have to do wasn't hanging over her head like a preverbal ton of bricks.
Ratchet looked across the way to Bumblebee, who nodded slightly, and then moved to the left to take a standing position near the old tree just as the sounds of other approaching vehicles became noticeable to Mikaela. Turning to look at the road while tucking a lock of hair behind one ear nervously she watched the bobbing lights approach until first an impressive black full bed truck, and then a even more impressive semi crested the hill and half-circled the look out before falling into their separate transformation sequences.
This time Mikaela was too worked up internally to fully enjoy the sight of Optimus and Ironhide sliding from alternate mode to robot mode and simply shot Bumblebee a quick glance that silently begged for reassurance once more that this act of hers was not somehow betraying her boyfriends trust on a level that would be unforgivable. The yellow autobot was quick to answer her unspoken call for reassurance by touching her back with stunning gentleness with one metallic forefinger 'It's alright. Go ahead.'
The bright blue optics coaxed before Bumblebee straitened and looked to his leader as Optimus approached and took to one knee so he could address Mikaela, in what he had always hoped was a slightly less imposing manner to the human than standing at his full height. And strangely enough, although it didn't actually make the autobot leader smaller, it somehow did have a slightly calming effect on Mikaela who figured it was more about body language than physics.
"Mikaela. " Optimus's soft yet commanding tone drew her full attention and focus up to his large glowing optics as it was meant to "It is good to see you well. However I am concerned with what Bumblebee has told me. I need to ask you to repeat everything you have told him about Samuel without leaving anything out. It is important we hear everything that has transpired with him sense the battle." Optimus remained in his half kneeling position, waiting for the young human to begin her explanation while the other autobots remained silent letting their leader take control of the situation.
"Aright…I understand.." Mikaela licked her suddenly very dry lips and tried to slow her racing mind as it struggled to decide on a good starting point. But at Optimus had said, they wanted to hear it from the beginning…so that was as good as any a place to begin. Taking a deep calming breath Mikaela focused on the large metallic hand of Optimus that rested on the leaders knee (It was just easier than having to look upward constantly, even kneeling Optimus's head was far from eye level!) although she glanced up at his face every few sentences.
"I'm sure everyone remembers the sunrise we all watched together the day after the battle…" she started, coloring slightly at the thought of Sam and herself making out on poor Bumblebee's hood. While it hadden't dawned on either of the teens at the time exactly what it was they happened to be doing, it did occur to them a few days later and resulted in fervent apologies from both teens to the poor camaro in question.
Apologies that Bee had simply shrugged off with a smile, while he appreciated the thought it didn't honestly bother him…although it had felt rather unique…or so he assured them. Not that the comment had done much to lessen the human's embarrassment. Mikaela had found herself thanking the lord she hadden't done anything INSIDE Bee with Sam before the reality of that sort of thing had dawned on them.
Mikaela pulled herself back to the narrative to find Optimus patiently waiting for her to continue…she even thought maybe…just for a second he looked slightly..amused as if guessing where her mind had wandered a moment ago. "Anyway I noticed then that while I was still very sore and sporting a new collection of bruises that Sam was…well he looked just fine! I'm not sure of all that he did during that battle while trying to protect the cube, but I figured from what little he had told me…and what his clothing looked like when we saw each other afterwards…that he should at least have a cut or black eye or something! But, he didn't have a mark on him…not one…well…other than his hands looking a little burned, like bad sunburn or something."
She looked around noticing with a bit of a start that Ratchet had moved a bit closer and was looking at her intently. How in the name of all that was holly did something that big manage to move that silently when it wanted to?! Optimus had not moved and nodded slowly for her to go on, somehow his silence made Mikaela more worried…she had been hoping the autobot would have some logical reassuring explanation for Sam's condition that day, but if he did it wasn't forthcoming.
She took another deep breath "We didn't see each other for almost a week after that, but we talked on the phone for hours every night. Sam said he felt kind of worn down, and I understood that because I was seriously wiped out after what had happened too…we both needed a little personal recoup time. I found out from Sam latter that it wasn't just that he needed some time to think by himself, that he had been actually physically ill after going home that morning we saw the sunrise. He called it the mother of all stomach-flu's, headaches, nausea, sensitivity to light and sound…tossing his cookies…" she paused as Optimus tilted his head slightly to one side questioningly with a whirr of metal.
"Vomiting." She quickly clarified trying not to giggle at the sudden mental image of the autobots trying to picture Sam standing in his bedroom looking sick and chucking oreo's at the wall.
"Then today when I saw him at the park…I noticed his hands were still in gloves…and I asked him about his hands. On the phone he mentioned one night that the pain had gotten worse before it had gotten better, they had blistered and he thought it was from the heat of the cube melting away that had given him one hell of a burn on his hands. He told me in the park not to worry, that they had improved a lot since then but the new skin was sensitive and hurt when air hit it. I could understand that I guess, I mean I've had burns on my hands before, they do hurt something nasty. But I wanted to see for myself.. and he got upset and refused to show me, that isn't like Sam you know?"
She bit her lip and shook her head causing a few strands of hair to fall into her eyes, but she didn't bother moving them for the moment. "Then Trent showed up….an old boyfriend of mine…I have no idea why I ever put up with that jackass honestly." She hissed passionately. "He started to mess around with Sam, but I told him to shove it and he left. Sam was really upset by then and he…hit a tree." She trailed off…..
"Proceed Mikalea..please." Optimus gently said when realizing she had come to a part of her story that was difficult to talk about.
"He hit the tree and cursed because I'm sure it hurt his burned hand like hell…and then… his watch…Um…kind of transformed and tried to attack us like the worlds smallest version of the terminator."
"Primus…" Mikaela thought she heard Ratchet murmur and looked up at the medic only to see what she interrupted as a serious expression on the autobots's face. She also caught Ironhide shoot Bumblebee a quick look that the quazi-camaro responded to with a sharp nod. Absently she wondered what a 'Primus' was but it had sounded remotely like a curse word. Mikaela could almost feel the atmosphere thicken and rushed on with her story.
Sam…kicked it hard when it charged, and it then took off across the park towards the street with us chasing it. Bee must have seen us running and gotten concerned because he transformed. Don't worry there wasn't anyone else around in that side of the park.." she quickly reassured Optimus before continuing "Bee walked forward to meet us and ask what was going on, but he stepped on the watch in the process….so Sam acted like nothing had happened and begged me not to tell Bee what we had seen. I think he was just being idiotically noble and didn't want to worry any of you guys further after what you went through…but it's not something you can just….not mention when your time peace goes homicidal on you!"
Mikaela gestured with one hand towards Bee "So….I…..asked Bee to come and see me when Sam fell asleep and I told him what happened. And now here we are. I feel really, really bad about having to brake his confidence like this, but if he won't look after himself what am I supposed to do?!" she almost shouted in frustration looking Optimus in the optics with angry tears stinging her eyes defiantly.
Optimus made a sound that Mikaela would have called a slow exhale or long suffering sigh if he had been human and then stood up carefully as to not jar the ground where she stood. "You have done the right thing Mikaela. Sam is lucky, as are well all, to have as loyal a friend in you. This is indeed a serious matter that needs to be addressed, and I intend to do so myself in short order." Turning to look at Bumblebee Optimus spoke softly but with a slightly steal encased hint to the tone that Mikaela had the feeling wasn't directed at the camaro "Bumblebee, I want you to go and retrieve Samuel if you would. Bring him here immediately, we will wait for your return."
"Understood." Bumblebee said smoothly at once and without any hesitation shifted into his alt. mode and speed off into the night down the curves of the winding look out road with a grace and control no true car could ever manage. Mikaela look up (way up) and softly asked "Now what?" watching as Optimus tipped his head downward to gaze at her "Now we await Samuel's arrival….. and explanation."
While Mikaela trusted the leader of the autobots implicitly, and truly believed him a kind of protective almost sweet father-figure-like entity…she would SO not trade places with Sam to be in her boyfriends shoes when he arrived and had to face the music of just why it was she, and not he who had brought this information to light. First of all because Optimus had been referring to Sam as Samuel, which he hadden't done since Sam asked him to just call him 'Sam' after the battle…it reminded her of a stern father getting ready for a lecture! Nope, she would not want to have to face the music.
After dropping Mikeala off at her house and bidding his Giant alien best friend robot car good night (Wow that was just fun to think about heh) Sam found that even though he had figured that when reaching his bedroom nothing would be more tempting than curling up on his bed and bidding the waking world adue for a good five to nine hours or so, he was unable to fall asleep. Jeeze, couldn't imagine why that was. It wouldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that his thirty dollar watch had animated and tried to rip his face off this afternoon now could it?
There went his plan of riding out this strange sickness thing until it just blew over. That kind of an event made it rather hard to continue living peaceful in along the lovely river De'Nile. And although he hated to admit the fact Sam found himself intensely curious about just how the event had managed to happen in the first place. Sure, he had developed a disturbing habit of shocking himself or burning out anything electric he touched the last few days (Hence the wonderful invention of a wooden dowel used to change the channels on the TV after smoking the remote.) but Sam had chocked that up to residue electric energy from all the crap that had happened and figured it would fade away with time…or something .
But bringing one's watch to life was a far cry from frying your alarm clock, or causing the frigerator to projectile vomit ice cubes (not that the last event wasn't disturbing enough in its own right.) And because of this one large question loomed in Sam's mind…could he do that again if he wanted to? Sure at this point part of his mind was wondering why one would want to recreate and event that had a tiny alien robot trying to cut your nose off, but that part was hushed with the reasoning that a good hammer would stop any micro-transformer from trying anything like that. Besides who said any thing that came to life would be violent…it could come out more auto-bot like right? Right. He was going to go with that reasoning.
So after sneaking to the tool drawer and getting a large hammer Sam cleared off his desk and arranged a little 'experiment'. After much consideration the teen had decided to use one his mother's old pedometers from when she was on an exercise kick as a test subject. It was small, not much larger than the watch and he reasoned wouldn't be that hard to smack to death if it went all red-eyed on his but. Placing the little electronic item in the bottom of a metal square cake pan Sam pulled off his gloves with a hiss of pain. He wasn't sure why he figured it might work better if he did this bare handed, but Sam had an inkling the whole mess had something to do with the marks on his hands.
He was focused on the little pedometer, so it was understandable Sam missed something subtle but very obviously out of place about his right hand..the fact his fingernails had taken on a slightly out of place glossy tint..and that tiny markings of blue-silver have started to move outwards from the center of his palm tracing his veins under the fading red of the burns.
"Ok" Sam said poking the pedometer with a finger "Rise! Live! Zap! Zap?" Sam muttered after that last bit suddenly feeling very, very foolish. What the hell was he thinking? The fluke that had caused his watch to animate probably used up the last of his 'contamination energy'.
Yah, that was probably it exactly. And it was Trent that had caused him to be pissed off enough in the first place that everything went wacky making him look like a wuss in front of his girl. "Damn." Sam hissed grabbing the Pedometer with the intent of tossing it angrily across the room. Only it didn't go the way he thought it would as a sharp pain and jolt traveled up his arm to his chest and then back down again causing Sam's eyes to widen as a faint glow surrounded his hand…and the pedometer unfolded to dig tiny fingers into the hand holding it. "Oh My G…" Sam dropped the hissing thing and quickly grabbed the hammer swinging it a few times and leaving a good number of dents in the desk before actually scoring a hit and leaving the creature twitching and sparking.
"SAM WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING UP THERE?!" his father's voice bellowed up from down stairs causing the teen to wince. He had forgotten the minor detail of if you hammer something to death in your room, your parents bellow are likely to notice something going on.
"SORRY DAD…I RAN INTO MY DESK AND UH…KNOCKED SOME STUFF OFF! WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN" He called back wincing at his own lame excuse. Sam thought he could hear something like 'Damn right it won't happen again..it's almost one bloody am in the morning. Get that boy a nightlight…" being muttered before the house fell silent again.
After a few moments of silent breath-holding Sam figured it was safe to move around again and approached the now still metallic form on his desk. He moved to pick it up…then thought better of that and pulled his hand back as if burned. No need for an event like something out of 'night of the living transformer'! Grabbing a zip-lock bag and shaking old chetto crumbs out of the bottom Sam used a shoe to push the remains into the plastic bad and then zipped it closed holding it up to the lap to get a better look at the very disturbing little evil features.
Why was it both things he had touched came to life with an attitude problem? More importantly thank the maker that he hadden't tried this with anything the size of a remote or larger! Horrid memories of Frenzy caused the boy to shudder and pale…no, defiantly not going to attempt this again.
Sam had to smuggle a very unmanly sound as he turned towards the window only to find himself eye to optic with Bee as the transformer locked gazes with him. "Damn Bee! Gonna give me a heartatack!" Sam hissed quietly bringing one hand to his chest while trying to calm his now racing pulse. Bumblebee focused his attention on the zip lock bag in Sam's hands, and then back on Sam himself as the teen seemed to realize what the Autobot had been looking at and quickly whipped the incriminating evidence behind his back with a cheesy grin. "So Bee, what brings you all large-ish to my window in the middle of the night?" he tried to joke impishly while his stomach sank at the unmoved expression on his guardian's face.
"Optimus." Game the one word reply causing Sam to almost swallow his tongue.
"Come again?" Sam squeaked out tossing the baggie on the bed and quickly retrieving his gloves from the desk turning his back on Bee so he could pull them on without the 'bot noticing his expressions of pain. Not that it did any good in truth. Bumblebee could pick up the raised levels of stress and hormones realized as a response to pain on his sensors but chose not to say anything for the moment.
"Optimus is at the lookout, he wants to talk to you. Now. I came to get you." Bee said still watching Sam with an intensity the boy found unnerving.
"Oh. Right now?" Sam managed in a much quieter voice, his mind racing over possibilities. More deceipticons? Or had they somehow found out about the Park? Why the sudden mid-night meeting?!
"Yes. Now." Bumblebee said before a hand was lifted to the edge of the windowsill, the meaning clear.
"But…" Sam started but saw no hint of relenting in the autobot's azure gaze. So with a sigh Sam grabbed his shoes with one hand and headed towards the window.
"Bring the baggie too. Ratchet will want to see that." Bumblebee said with a hint of some emotion Sam couldn't identify as his stomach twisted with the realization Bee had seen the bag…and probably knew somehow what was inside. Wordlessly Sam grabbed the bag, then climbed out the window onto his guardian's large, slightly warm metallic hand. The teen was lowered carefully to the ground where the hand tipped slightly allowing Sam to slide off and land with ease on his feat while Bee moved back a bit and assumed his Camaro mode popping the passenger's side door open.
That one act spoke volumes. Bee was obviously upset. He wasn't even going to allow Sam to drive to the lookout. Upset enough not to care of someone saw a driverless car with a passenger heading out of town in the middle of the night. Needless to say the first few minutes of that drive were…tense ones with no music or talking. Sam tossed the baggy onto the driver's seat and rolled the window down, closing his eyes and letting the wind hit his face and toss his hair while he tried to decide what to say. "It was Mikaela..she did something…right? Even when I asked her not to. What did she say to you?" he asked after a moment, trying to keep his voice emotionless but feeling some anger leak through despite his best efforts.
'Don't blame it on the girl, no, no, no.
Things left unspoken, hearts left shattered and broken,
Blame it on yourself boy, yeh, blame it on yourself…
Cuz' the silence is the worst part.. '
The words of a song came on after a moment and Sam looked over at the driver's seat, he didn't know why…because it wasn't as if Bee was driving…ok he was…but it wasn't like Sam had to face the driver's seat to talk to the guy! The fact that Bee had reverted back to communication through music both comforted and unnerved Sam at the same time. Did it mean Bee was cooling off and wasn't so upset? Or did it mean he was upset enough to fall into old habits? Either way Sam had gotten his answer when it came to Mikaela.
Yes, she had defiantly told Bee and probably the others atelast part of what had been going on. And be was admonishing him for keeping it a secret to begin with. Truth be told, Sam was feeling, and had felt rather guilty about it the whole time. But he had been trying to…well..protect his giant robotic friends..as odd as that concept seemed. Sam figured they had gone through so much, this eons long war, the battle, the loss of Jazz and feeling of guilt over the damage caused to the city…he hadden't wanted to add more to that already overloaded plate!
And on top of that, until recently there hadden't been any big enough reasons to go to the Autobots….what…was he supposed to go running to them anytime he got a stomach ache? He had come through that battle, caring the All-spark, chased by Megatron, nearly killed half a dozen or more times…he figured he had better be tough enough to suck it up and deal with a few burns and a stomach ache by himself! But….he had to realize now that maybe….that wasn't what the Autobots…what Bee would want? Could have it been worse to not say anything at all…it certainly seemed to upset Bee immensely finding it out by a second party.
"Look…Bee…I'm sorry I didn't tell you myself…at the start. I just" he sighed "I just didn't want to be a burden you know? Give you guys even more to worry about when things had just started to settle down." Sam murmured eyes fixed on the dashboard in front of him while he slowly lowered his head to rest against the humming surface, feeling thoroughly miserable. "You could never be a burden Sam." Bee's voice came softly and suddenly after a moment of silence causing Sam to lift his head and notice they had arrived at the lookout, the one had sounded almost…sad in some way.
The belt unbuckled by itself and the door opened of it's own accord causing Sam to swallow a ball of nervousness that had sudden risen to threaten and choke the teen as his brown eyes took in all of the waiting autobots. And although he looked, Mikaela was nowhere in sight. Taking the door as a hint Sam reached over to the driver's seat and grabbed the baggie stuffing it in his pocket while slowly getting out of the car…as if he could make it go away if he hesitated long enough.
It Wasn't going away.
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(Notes: Next up! Ch. 6 'Face the Music' Optimus finally has that talk with Sam and some..disturbing developments involving Sam come to light. Also I still have to send this to one of my wonderfull beta-readers so ignore any mistakes O.o; heh he.)