Mikaela didn't want to get up on that particular morning. When she first opened her eyes, there was a moment of peace. Then she became fully awake, and all the memories came back. Wheelie was still missing. He wouldn't have been captured if she'd only kept him around a while longer. That was all that she thought about in the last fifteen days. What she could have done differently if only she'd known this would happen. Of course she was sure that was all that was on Sam's mind too. There was no doubt he was worried about Wheelie, especially after Sam and Mikaela's text conversation. When Mikaela decided there was no use in trying to fall back to sleep, she kicked off the covers and prepared herself for the day, and one last try.
Half an hour or so later, Sam's cell phone vibrated from inside Bumblebee's cab. Bumblebee honked twice at Sam who was standing not to far away, writing something down on a sheet of paper. He shoved the paper into his pocket and jogged over to Bumblebee. To answer the question Bumblebee was sure Sam was about to ask, he imitated Sam's home phone answering machine.
"You have...one...new message and zero...old messages." Sam opened Bumblebee's driver side door, and took his phone off the dash board. He pressed a few buttons to search through his messages. Just as Bumblebee said, there was a new voicemail. To Sam's surprise, it was from Mikaela.
"What'd she want?" Sam mumbled, but regretted his tone. He and Mikaela were almost on good terms again after all. Bumblebee internally grinned in his alt mode. He couldn't resist this!
"You're on the phone with your girlfriend. She's upset. She's going off about something that you said, 'cause she doesn't get your humor like I do." Sam couldn't help but laugh at that.
"You are so weird!" Sam laughed. When Bumblebee first became Sam's guardian, he had some difficulty understanding this 'compliment'. But in time he learned to understand it better. It was a compliment to be a little weird because being weird, silly, and goofy made humans laugh and made them feel happy. It was very similar to how Cybertronians' emotions worked. Bumblebee just couldn't believe he hadn't realized that similarity earlier. While Sam listened to the voicemail, Bumblebee started another song.
"Hey Sam, its me."
"Honey why you calling me so late?" Bumblebee played.
"Shhh!" Sam said while pressing his phone closer to his ear.
"I know everyone's kind of giving up on the search, but I think I've got one last thing I'm willing to try. And if you're up for it, I could really use some help. Okay, so remember that spark signature that would randomly pop up near that construction site? The site that NEST was suppose to search, but couldn't because they couldn't get a search warrant? And of course you know they couldn't get a search warrant because they'd have to explain searching for an Autobot, not a person and all that classified stuff. Anyway, I just have to know the truth about what happened to Wheelie and this might be the only way. Meet me there in two hours. Thanks for your help. Bye." Sam put the phone away and sat down in Bumblebee's driver seat. Without saying a word, he backed out of the driveway. Bumblebee made a few beeping noises in what sounded like a questionable tone.
"I'm not sure about all of this. But as long as she knows what she's doing, I guess we've got nothing to lose."
Mikaela parked her motorcycle across from the targeted area. From what she could see, the whole constructions site set up looked completely normal. She had to remember though, that was all it really was. A set up. Right on time, a yellow camaro pulled up next to her. Sam stepped out. They exchanged glances in silence. Sam dared to be the first to speak.
"So you think Wheelie's in there?"
"Not in there." Mikaela corrected. "Under there. Like how the Allspark stayed hidden at Hoover Dam for so long without being detected. Wheelie's got to be somewhere under all of that. The question is, where exactly are those people hiding him, and where's the entrance?"
"You've had a lot of time to figure this out haven't you?"
"Fifteen days, yes." Mikaela started walking across the street.
"Well, wait a minute! Don't you have a plan?" Sam demanded.
"I'm getting Wheelie back. That's my plan!" She kept walking. Sam looked at Bumblebee.
"Is she crazy?" Bumblebee didn't answer. He just revved his engine a little and opened his door to nudge Sam forward. Sam took a few steps, but stopped against Bumblebee's gentle gesture for him to move. Sam turned to say something when his jaw suddenly dropped. He was startled from suddenly realizing another human being was standing so close to him. The human winked at Sam, folded his arms, and leaned against Sam's car. 'Of course.' Sam thought when he realized who it was. The human was in fact Bumblebee. Sam looked the teenage holoform over. His eyes were still the same shade of blue and his short hair was still the same color of sandy blonde. But Sam knew something about Bumblebee had changed since he'd seen Bumblebee's holoform last. His face seemed different. Almost as if he had...aged. Sam pondered the concept of robots aging, but his attention caught something else. Bumblebee passed by him and was following Mikaela into the construction zone. "What are you doing? Bee!" Bumblebee turned around and waved his hands up.
Rescue mission! Bumblebee signed. Want to come? Sam groaned and slowly dragged his feet after them. He couldn't believe he was doing this! Yes, rescuing Wheelie was why he and Bumblebee came, but how far did Mikaela and Bumblebee expect luck to get them? They had no idea of what to expect, and no back up. But if everyone else was going, Sam really had no choice but to take a chance on his luck, and see how far it would get them. On the site, there was hardly any activity. Just a handful of people wandered around. Between Sam, Mikaela, and the fifteen foot robot in disguise, the few enemy humans weren't much of a threat. Still, they decided to play it safe and not attract any unwanted attention. The trio split up and dodged around equipment for a few minutes before they regrouped behind a bulldozer to share their status reports.
"So?" Sam asked.
"I've got nothing." Mikaela admitted. Bumblebee's blue eyes were still flashing as he continued scanning over the landscape. He shook his head at the results. There was no tunnel entrance above ground. But there was definitely a large amount of solid steel just below their feet. No doubt it was the humans' base of operation. Bumblebee's scan picked up images of the underground steel, but couldn't analyze anything below the steel. Bumblebee focused back on his above ground surroundings and looked at Sam.
We are standing over their base. We can't get down inside unless we start digging and drilling and somehow go unnoticed.
"Well that's not gonna work." Sam said. Mikaela gave a confused look to him and then Bumblebee. Sam suddenly realized that Mikaela didn't understand Bumblebee's sign language. "He said their base is directly under us and we can't get down to it." He told her. Bumblebee nodded.
"But people have to be able to get inside somewhere. And what about Wheelie's spark signature? Those times when it showed up. Maybe then he was near an exit and he was closer to the surface."
Here, the steel wall is three feet below us and I still can't scan through it. The wall's thickness must be blocking the scan and not necessarily the thickness of dirt.
"We'll just have to keep searching." Sam told them both.
S.A.M I already searched every inch of the area above ground and every speck of dirt below ground for as far as my scan could reach without interference from the steel. I know. There is no where left to search. There is no way in.
Sam could never argue with Bumblebee's logic. Deep down he had a feeling his friend was right. But he couldn't let himself believe it. Even if it was true. Sam tried to think of something to say, but he was interrupted by the humans who had finally spotted them. They came running at them screaming!
"HEY! What are you doing here?" One of the men barked. Sam didn't have time to imagine all the consequences of getting caught. His panicked train of thought was interrupted when Bumblebee's holoform pushed in front of them and took a defensive position. Bumblebee suddenly flickered and materialized back into his fifteen foot yellow robotic form! In Sam's mind, he begged Bumblebee not to give them away so easily. But even if Bumblebee could have heard Sam's thoughts, he wouldn't have listened. Bumblebee thought this was necessary to protect Sam and Mikaela. And if Bumblebee thought so, he would do so! The humans stopped dead in their tracks, not the least bit scared, but thrilled! The average person wouldn't dare aim a gun at a giant robot and his bigger gun, but not these guys! The group instantly brought out there guns! Bumblebee revealed his arm cannon to them. He wasn't the least bit scared of their primitive weapons, but their confidence made him feel uneasy. Something wasn't right. One of the humans spoke up. "We thought you'd come for you're little friend sooner. I don't blame you for hesitating to come. You should have heard him rambling on about you 'Autobots'. He betrayed you all to savor one more minute of life before we finally crushed him!" He mocked.
"I don't believe you!" Mikaela shouted. Her true emotions were hidden by her death stare.
"And who cares about what you think? Y-" The man would have said more but flinched when Bumblebee aimed his weapon directly at him.
"Okay talk! I know you had something to do with this! Now where's Lilo? Talk!" Bumblebee demanded. The man looked at him and then at Sam and Mikaela. He certainly wasn't expecting that from a giant robot. Bumblebee suddenly tensed up and looked off into the distance! By the time the helicopters came into sight, it was too late for Bumblebee to roll out with all the humans in the way! Bumblebee knelt down to shield Sam and Mikaela and to protect himself from the inevitable attack! The helicopters' harpoons shot at Bumblebee! They caught onto his joints and pulled back! Bumblebee tumbled down and narrowly missed knocking into Sam! Bumblebee screamed! This couldn't be happening to him! Not again! Sam and Mikaela tried to extract the harpoons from Bumblebee's metal! The humans began to move to capture Sam and Mikaela, but Bumblebee wouldn't allow it! He got to his knees and pulled against the helicopters! He pushed Sam and Mikaela farther behind him! Bumblebee screamed louder from the harpoons pulling his joints in opposite directions, also from the agony his screaming was causing his vocals! Even with no paralyzing gases, Bumblebee struggled to keep his head up! Fear overwhelmed him! He begged Primus that he would never have to suffer through that long night at Sector Seven ever again! Would he really have to relive the traumatic experience?
"Noooooo!" Sam screamed. Bumblebee was brought out of his painful memories when he saw Sam and Mikaela running in front of Bumblebee to guarding him! While Sam stayed closer to Bumblebee, Mikaela held up her fists, ready for defense or attack!
"Stand down girly." One man ordered. "Someone could get hurt." Mikaela didn't waste any more time! She swung her fist out and let him have it! One blow bloodied his nose! Unfortunately, he didn't hold back either and raised his gun! BANG!
The human's gunfire could barely be heard over Bumblebee's shot. Bumblebee blasted a crater straight into the ground! The blast broke through the layer of steel below and sent them all hurdling down! When the ground gave in, Bumblebee's restraints did too! They snapped from the force of gravity! As they fell into the Earth, Sam hung onto Bumblebee for dear life, and Mikaela's body limply fell with them.