Hi everyone! Hope you guys enjoy the new chapter! I have a poll up on my profile right now. It is so I can see if anyone wants to check out the artwork Alise, and Ratchet's holoform are based off of! They're not mine, but I think the artists did a great job with both of them! If you'd like to see them and have a moment, please let me know!
As always, I own nothing!
~Mel
It had taken a little more than half an hour and another bag of blood for Alise to have the normal blood level again. She still hadn't woken up, but the immediate danger was over. The nurses had also given her some antibiotics and pain medication for her back. Ratchet was grateful for the nurses' assistance, but now he knew they needed to go. The nurses were starting to talk about keeping her overnight, and Ratchet knew that would not be the best of ideas.
The nurses had gotten a sudden code blue page over the intercom in a room a few doors down, so Ratchet took the opportunity to escape. Because Alise wasn't attached to any machines, he didn't have to worry about her removal making much of a scene. Gently taking the IV out of her wrist and throwing out the contaminated needle, catheter, and blood bag into the proper containers, he picked up Alise and quickly walked her out of the room and hallway, bridal style. He knew there would probably be some sort of investigation as to their disappearance, but he knew the military would probably be able to handle it.
Quickly exiting the emergency center, he quickened his pace out to his alt-form, making the door open a few feet before he was even close to the rescue hummer. He gingerly placed Alise into the back seat when they got there, and when he was positive that no one was watching, he dismissed the holoform and started to drive away as the hummer. The airport was about 35 miles away from their present location. Ratchet wanted to drive at a faster speed but he wasn't able to get over 50 miles per hour because of the city's damage and he calculated that it would take them about 45 minutes to reach their destination.
After about 20 minutes of driving, Alise started to stir in the back. She opened her eyes slowly, taking in her surrounding. She knew she was in a moving vehicle before she looked, but she assumed it was Bee's form she was in. When she saw, however, that the interior was different, she froze, fear shooting through her. She stayed completely still, not knowing what to do. Was she captured? she asked herself, scared to know the answer. After a moment, she knew she had to take some sort of action.
Slowly and gingerly lifting her head, she looked up to the driver's seat to see that, surprise surprise, no one was driving. The steering wheel was moving of its own accord and the pedals below were pushing in and out the same way. Quickly shifting her eyes, she looked more closely at the center of the wheel and held her breath. She looked and saw... the Autobot symbol, just like on Bee's.
She let out a silent breath of relief.
"Hello?" she asked timidly, not certain which one of the Autobots she was sitting in.
"Good, you're awake," a voice said from the speakers of the vehicle. Alise recognized the voice immediately.
"Ratchet?" she asked, and she sat up in the backseat. She did so a little too quickly, however, and her head started to spin as she got to an upright position.
"Yes," he responded. "How are you processing?"
Alise held back a laugh at his statement, but nodded slowly. "Well, I guess. What happened?"
"You blacked out in the city and I took you to the local medical center. You were given your blood transfusion about 22 minutes ago. I would not recommend making any sudden movements, or trying to walk quickly for awhile."
"Okay," Alise said. "Thanks, Ratch."
"Of course."
Alise sat there in silence for a moment. She noted that she could once again feel the tips of her fingers and her feet and she didn't feel any pain in her back either. She knew that she probably had received some pain medication also. She was grateful to be feeling better, but a thought suddenly stuck her. Where was everyone?
"Hey, Ratch?" she asked.
"Yes?"
"Umm, where is everyone? Where are we going?"
"Our destination is an uninhabited airport about 15 miles from our present location. We're meeting with the rest of our party there. They're expecting us soon."
Alise nodded. She settled into one of the seats and a seatbelt was slung over her. She sat very still, knowing that Ratchet could probably feel ever movement she made and she didn't want him to feel uncomfortable. Staying like that for the rest of the ride, she stayed quiet and waited for them to arrive at the airport, watching out the window as she did this. The landscape was getting more deserted as they drove and soon enough, they pulled into the open gate of an airport runway. They drove along the runaway for a few moments, and then Ratchet pulled in front of one of the hangers whose large doors were closed.
He stopped for a moment and didn't make a sound. Suddenly, the hanger door opened, causing Alise to jump in her seat. When the door had fully widened, Ratchet pulled in, and Alise smiled at the sight in front of her. Sitting in multiple locations in the hanger were Optimus, Ironhide, Sam and Mikaela, Lennox and Epps and their soldiers, and Bee, who still sitting on the tow truck.
Optimus was standing in the middle of the hanger, Epps and Lennox with him, while Ironhide was sitting on parts of a broken plane in one of the corners of the hanger, speaking with the other soldiers. Bee, Sam, and Mikaela were all sitting on the tow truck, Sam and Mikaela holding hands next to Bee. All of their eyes had turned to Alise and Ratchet, and all of the faces were a mixture of anticipation and nervousness. They had all seen Alise black out, and they all were hoping that the girl would be alright, Bee in particular.
From inside the hummer, the seatbelt that had been previously on her had recoiled back and the door next to her had been popped open. Carefully climbing out of the cabin, Alise stepped out onto the paved floor of the hanger and grabbed onto Ratchet's door to regain her balance. She lifted her head and was met with the delighted smiles of the occupants of the room. She looked into each of their faces before she stopped on one in particular. Bee's.
The look on his face was of pure relief and affection. He smiled at her widely, and she back at him. She tried to walk over to him, but she found herself becoming slightly disoriented, and she held onto Ratchet's door once more. Bee let out a concerned chirp and Mikaela hopped down from the tow truck to run over and help her. Putting an arm around her waist, she supported most of Alise's weight and helped her walk over to the tow truck where Bee was already waiting with an outstretched hand. Mikaela guided her to Bee's hand and he gently grabbed her, slowly lifting her to his shoulder. She took her familiar spot there and propped herself up against his face.
"'You okay (static) bell?'" Bee voiced to her. She laughed once quietly and traced her fingertips on his cheek.
"Yeah, Bee, I'm okay. Just a little out of it."
"She is going to be like that for awhile," Ratchet commented. Alise turned her head to see Ratchet standing a few feet away, full height. She didn't even notice that he had changed into his bipedal mode. "Do not let her out of your sight. She is still weak from her transfusion."
Bee looked over at Alise and smirked.
"'Yes sir!'" he voiced to Ratchet, making Alise laugh and roll her eyes at him.
There was now a comfortable silence among the mixed group of humans and extra-terrestrials. The tension of the group had lifted from them for the moment, and they all seemed to be soaking in the peace. After a few moments of this, Ironhide spoke.
"So what now, Prime?" he addressed Optimus. The Prime turned to him and nodded.
"Our next course of action depends on the humans' willingness to corporate," he said, "if they are willing to work with us to fight against the remaining Decepticons." He turned to look down at Lennox and Epps who nodded after he said this.
"It would be an honor to continue to serve with you all," Lennox said to them, and Epps nodded in agreement. Optimus nodded down at them.
"And us with you. I believe I speak for all of my men when I say this." He turned to his three remaining Autobots, who all nodded without hesitation. "The Decepticons will not stop their mission because of the defeat of Megatron. They will continue his vision. And they will come for this." Optimus held up a small piece of a metal looking material.
"What is it?" Mikaela asked, now back in her pervious spot next to Sam.
"It is the remaining piece of the All Spark. Though it is only a fragment, it still contains the same power of its original full piece. And it still has the potential to become a heavy risk if it falls into Decepticon hands."
"The military could most likely provide some sort of protection for it if you will allow us to handle it," Lennox commented.
"It may come to that," Optimus said.
Suddenly, there was a sound of vehicles from outside coming up the runway.
All the Autobots turned to face the hanger door and armed themselves, raising their weapons. All the human soldiers did the same. Sam and Mikaela stood up and moved a little closer to Bee, while he tucked Alise into his shoulder with his hand, trying to give her shield. Two dark vans then pulled into the hanger. Every armed person in the party cocked their weapons.
"Wait," Lennox said to the group, raising his hand. "It's Sector 7. I radioed for them."
The group slowly lowered their weapons, but didn't put them away. Two men exited each of the vans, two of whom Alise recognized instantly. One was the suited man she cursed out who drove her, Sam, and Mikaela to the helicopter earlier that day, and the other was Simmons's sidekick, Banachek. The four walked directly over to Epps and Lennox; however they all stole glances at the four looming Autobots as they did.
"Captain Lennox, Major," Banachek addressed the two. They nodded at him, but Lennox got straight to the point.
"We're requesting and in need of the use of Sector 7's-"
"Sector 7 has been disbanded," Banachek interjected. "Effective immediately." Lennox paused and he and Epps exchanged a glance.
"Disbanded?" Epps said. "After all this? Don't you believe some of your resources and knowledge would be useful?"
Banachek sighed.
"The men upstairs believe that 'all of this' is because of Sector 7," he told them. "I honestly don't know if I can blame them. We lost control of the situation fast and disastrously."
"Where's Simmons?" Alise asked, almost sarcastically, from Bee's shoulder. Banachek looked up at her.
"He's taking care of some of the more official matters at the moment, which aren't many considering Sector 7 never officially existed in the first place."
"What about my parents?" Sam spoke up next. "Where are they?"
"They are being taken home as we speak," Banachek told him. "They'll probably make it home before you do."
Sam seemed to become less tense after hearing this and he nodded to Banachek.
"Is there anything else we need to know about?" Lennox questioned him.
"You should be in contact with Defense Sectary Keller shortly. He's going to be your main tie to the government until further notice. After this little trip, I'm done. We'll no longer have any connection to the Hoover Dam or Mission City."
Lennox and Epps nodded their heads at him, not saying anything more.
"Alright," Banachek said. "I wish you all luck."
With that he turned around, stealing one last look at the bots. Then he and his men all walked back to the vans and drove away.
When they left the premises, Lennox turned to Optimus.
"They're not going to keep us waiting very long on this," he said to him. "We should be getting a call at anytime."
Optimus nodded at him, but turned to the three young humans and young bot.
"In that case, the three of you should go and rest. You have done us a great service. We will contact Bumblebee when we have heard word."
The three humans all nodded at him. Optimus then turned specifically to Sam.
"Sam, if Bumblebee is going to be guarding you, you will need to explain the situation to your parental units..."
Sam nodded. "I'll do my best."
The Prime nodded. "Thank you, Sam. We will never be able to repay you."
Sam smiled at the leader. "You guys have done enough for us already."
Optimus nodded at him. Ratchet then spoke to Bee.
"Can you turn into your vehicle form?" he asked him. "You will not be able to operate it, but if you can at least make it your form, transport will be easier."
Bee nodded at him. Sam and Mikaela jumped off the tow truck, and helped Alise as Bee handed her to them. He then slowly tried to turn into his Camaro form, letting out one pained chirp as he did so. However, after a moment, he was on the back of the tow truck as the vehicle.
Ratchet nodded. "I will come to the house later to check on you."
Bee replied with a chirp. Mikaela walked over to the cabin of the tow truck and started it up and Sam started to walk Alise over to the front seat when she stopped him.
"Can you walk me to Bee?" she asked him. Sam laughed and nodded his head. He helped her onto the back of the truck and when she could stand on her own, she knocked gently on the window of the car.
"Room for one more?" she asked softly. Bee immediately responded with a happy chirp and he opened the driver seat door to her. She climbed in and sat down slowly, as the seatbelt slid over her body.
"Hope you don't mind," she said with a smile on her face, as she started to trace the seatbelt and the leather seating. Bee let out a content purr. Then a voice Alise recognized as Willie Nelson's filled the car.
"'If we're backin' up it's just to get a runnin' start, 'cause everything we do we do with all our hearts. And it don't really matter what they say. We wouldn't have it any other way.'"
Alise gently laughed and rested her head on the window as she continued to trace circles in the seat.
"I'm glad, Bee," she said gently, and she watched out the window, as the tow truck with them on it, started to drive away.