Chapter 4: Evasion
Tegan sighed as he gathered up his books. He had gotten detention for not paying attention in class, and it had finally ended.
Standing, the boy slowly began to make his way from the history classroom, making his way, faster than usual, to his locker.
Tegan looked around. He felt like there were eggshells everywhere and he wasn't supposed to break any of them.
Ever since last night, when Soundwave had spoken to him, he had been on edge, dodging people in the halls and keeping an eye out for any vehicles that matched the strange robot's descriptions.
A hand on his shoulder caused Tegan to jump higher than he ever had before, scattering his books everywhere as he spun around, pressing his back to his locker.
Miko and Jack stood before him, only adding to his fear.
Tegan stared at them for several seconds as they looked back at him, and he slowly reached down, without taking his eyes off of them, and gathered up his books, dumping them into his locker before shutting it.
Staring at the two in front of him, who stared back with somewhat confused expressions, Tegan slowly began to move sideways before racing down the hall.
Looking back, Tegan could see the blurred forms of the other two teens stand still for a moment before they began to move after him. There was no way he was going to let them catch him!
Tegan raced from the school and glanced another look behind him, totally missing the car parked at the curb, crashing into it's side and bouncing off.
Tegan placed a hand to his head as he slowly looked up to find a large, green jeep sitting at the curb.
Scrabbling backwards, Tegan got to his feet and ran down the road. Oh no! Oh no! Oh no! The boy's mind raced with his fear-filled heart as he ran down the street, making a beeline in the general direction of his home.
Looking back, the boy saw the blurred form of a green jeep following slowly, the two teens still pursuing on foot.
Tegan turned a corner into an alley and looked around. It was a dead end.
Looking back in the direction he had come, Tegan knew that there was no way he was going to be able to get past them, so he looked around for somewhere to hide, eyes landing on a dumpster.
Tegan stared for a moment before shrugging. There wasn't much choice, and it wouldn't be entirely unpleasant... Vince had made him spend a lot of time in them before, so it wouldn't be that bad...
Tegan knew they were getting closer with every moment he contemplated what to do, and ran to the dumpster, climbing in and shutting the lid quietly.
Breathing laboured, Tegan placed a hand over his mouth as he listened, eyes wide with fear as he lay in the trash, the scent terrible, but not unbearable.
Listening in the darkness, Tegan waited. Because he couldn't hear what was going on, he wouldn't really know when it was safe to get out, so he would wait... wait longer than they would be able to, before leaving.
Any other time, the boy would've found the prospect of lying in the trash like a worthless, helpless creature hurtful and insulting, but at the moment, he welcomed it and waited silently.
Tegan checked his phone after a long while had passed and realized that a couple of hours had passed, but he remained still. He wouldn't chance climbing out to meet the... Autobots, Soundwave had called them, he believed.
Another hour passed before Tegan climbed from his smelly haven and into the darkness of night. His grandmother would be worried, but he would simply tell her he had stayed to get tutored.
Tegan landed lightly on his feet and began to trot down the alley when he felt as if someone was watching him. Looking up, something passed under a street light, and he thought he could make out a large bird as it passed through the light.
Relaxing, the boy began to make his way down the road, heading for the safety of his home a few blocks away.
Thinking over the day's happenings, Tegan shook his head. So I need to make sure that I don't get detention like Miko does. That only leaves me in the school alone... well, I'm always alone... just when there aren't people there...
Tegan, having reached his home, carefully unlocked the door and opened it. Maybe Grandmum's asleep, and won't even know how late I was gone.
His hopes were dashed, however, when his grandmother appeared around a corner from the kitchen. His eyes immediately dropped to her lips as she began speaking.
"Tegan!" His grandmother cried, tears in her eyes. "Where were you? I was so worried!"
Tegan began to answer her through sign language.
"Tutoring doesn't go this late, Tegan." His grandmother responded, sadness in her face.
Tegan knew that she was probably thinking he was protecting Vince and his cronies. He continued his answer, telling her that a teacher had stayed with him to help with an essay.
His grandmother paused. "Couldn't you have texted me? You know I got a phone so that you could tell me when these things happen."
Rolling his eyes, Tegan made the signs, saying that he did text her. He waited as she went to find her phone and came back.
"Alright. You did. I'm sorry, Tegan. I was just so worried."
Tegan smiled at her and gave her a hug, feeling comforted.
"Well, I'll heat up some dinner for you. Why don't you get showered?" His grandmother said, and he noticed her looking at him suspiciously.
Tegan made a sign that he had played with John again, and she understood what he was saying, shaking her head sadly.
He felt guilty. She thought that John was a boy that 'hung out' with him sometimes, and wasn't aware of the fact that there was no one that hung out with her grandson. Sure, she knew he was alone a lot of the time, and that many of the kids weren't at all nice to him, but she thought that John sometimes hung out with Tegan when he wasn't 'working' or had an 'appointment'. She didn't know he was a figment of Tegan's imagination.
Nodding at her and flashing a smile, Tegan all but ran up the staircase to his bedroom, shutting the door. He grabbed a change of clothes and was about to leave again when the computer flashed.
Tegan paused in the doorway, looking down the staircase before shutting and locking the door before making his way to the screen to where a message waited.
Where are you.
Tegan sat down at the screen. I was hiding in a dumpster.
There was a pause. Why.
Tegan got a strange sensation that Soundwave knew why, but was deciding to ask him. Autobots. He responded simply. Two humans.
An answer wasn't long in coming. Did they talk to you? Were the Autobot in car form?
Thinking over the strangeness of the questions, Tegan quickly typed an answer.The humans, Jack and Miko, tried to talk to me, but I ran. I ran into a green jeep, but it stayed a jeep.
As he waited, Tegan moved to the door and peeked out. His grandmother was nowhere to be seen, and he made his way back to the computer.
How did you get away?
Smirking to himself, Tegan shook his head. I hid in a dumpster. I just got back home about ten minutes ago. He responded.
There was another lengthy pause.There was no need to hide so long. Bulkhead doesn't have the patience. Soundwave responded.
Rolling his eyes, Tegan tapped a response. I wasn't taking any chances. I couldn't hear when they left.
Soundwave responded instantly. That will change soon, Orion. And we will need to meet.
Shock and fear assaulted the boy as he hesitantly typed a response. I don't know how new you are to earth, or how much you know about humans, but being deaf is permanent. You can't fix it. And I'm not sure I want to meet another robot. He waited nervously for a response. Would Soundwave get mad? Would he tease him?
I have been on earth a short while, and researched your afflictions last night. As for changing your deafness and muteness, I changed mine. But you will need to meet me to change yours.
Shock and hope immediately filled Tegan as he slowly typed out an answer. You can fix me? My vision? Help me to speak? He asked.
There was a pause, and Tegan imagined the creature chuckling. You are hopeful. Soundwave responded. Just know that your hope is not unfounded. I will meet you soon, through an ally.
Confused, Tegan responded quickly, hoping to catch the strange robot before he left. How will I know he's not with the Autobots? He asked.
Several minutes passed and the boy feared he may have missed Soundwave. He was about to turn off the screen when two images popped up. One was purple and looked like a strange symbol. Under it was written ally. The second symbol was red and looked like a robotic face, underneath it was written Autobots.
Nodding carefully, Tegan stared at the images, lodging them away in his mind. There was information about where these emblems were placed on Cybertronians in car and 'bot' forms, so he read that to further reinforce it in his mind.
Satisfied, Tegan got up and turned off the console before going to the door and opening it. His grandmother stood there, a plate of food in her hands and worry in her eyes.
"Tegan!" She cried.
Tegan just stared up at her.
"What were you doing?" His grandmother asked. "You never lock your door! Are you OK? Do you need to be alone?" She asked, worry written all over her face.
Tegan took the plate from her hands and, using signs, told her that he wanted to be alone.
His grandmother looked at him for several minutes before sighing and nodding, embracing him before heading down the hall to her room.
Tegan closed his door and set the food on his desk before going and cracking open the door. Movement, which he assumed was his grandmother's bedroom door closing, signalled the ok for him to grab a change of clothes and go into the washroom.
While he showered, Tegan thought over the conversation he had had with Soundwave, hope still simmering within him at the thought of being able to speak, hear and see like a normal person. Hopefully Soundwave wasn't teasing him like so many other kids did... but, for some reason, he felt that Soundwave would never do that.
We are not all that different, Orion. The words rang in his mind over and over again. 'Then how are we similar?' He asked himself inwardly.
