Chapter 158

-0-Base Administration Building, Conference Room D

Warren Roberts sat at the head of the table, his two aides near the back in chairs, their laptops and note pads to the ready. Sitting in the hot seat was Tim Bolton. He was angry and slouched in his chair with a look of hot defiance on his face.

"Tell me, Mr. Bolton … what exactly were you doing during the time frame of the hit-and-run?"

Bolton shrugged. "Nothing. Drinking beer and watching the game."

"What game was that?"

It was silent a moment, then Bolton shrugged. "Don't recall. Was a while back."

Roberts leaned forward regarding Bolton with a hard stare. "You were trespassing on legitimate embassy territory. The Autobots can hold you forever and we can't do a thing about it. How do you like living in their brig?"

Bolton shifted as a mean expression formed on his face. "Daniels owes me. He'll get me out. His grandpa is some kind of official in the government."

"His family can't force your release. I'm aware he's already made the calls and they tried. The Autobots have refused. What you have before you is endless days, maybe even the rest of your life in their brig or you can tell me about the hit-and-run."

Bolton leaned forward meeting Roberts eye levelly. "What we have here is a bullshitter trying to fool a bullshitter. Nice try. I'm going to put my money on that little bastard, Daniels. He'll get me out of here."

"Or what?" Roberts asked.

Bolton leaned back smiling slightly. "He'll get me out."

"No, he won't," Roberts replied. "But I'm going to give you my card," he said nodding to an aide who rose to hand it to Bolton. "When you get tired of living underground call me. Or maybe a man of resolve like you is the wrong road to take."

Bolton looked at him, a momentary falter in his smirk. "What do you mean?"

"Seth Thomas is next. He isn't as hardcore as you. I don't think he'd like the idea of depending upon Daniels for his future. I'll talk to him."

Bolton sat up straighter with a look of cold fury on his face. "Thomas doesn't know anything."

"We'll see," Roberts said sitting back to relax. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Bolton. We're leaving this afternoon. You have until three o'clock to change your mind. Good day."

A soldier standing nearby walked over and took Bolton's arm pulling him to his feet. They walked to the door and down the corridor to wait by an outside doorway. Inferno who was sunning himself as he waited smiled, then picked up Bolton. "Thank you, Marty."

Sergeant Marty Wilson nodded. "No problem, Inferno."

With that, Marty took custody of Seth Thomas and watched as Inferno walked away holding Tim Bolton like he was a rag doll. Thomas who looked pale and edgy listened as Bolton screamed at him all the way across the lot to keep his trap shut, then followed Wilson inside for his turn on the hot plate.

-0-The prodigal returns

Bluestreak stepped off of Cosmos tugging along his weapons and duffel bag. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, both of them waiting swooped him, making sure he was hugged and kissed adequately as well as relieving him of his gear. Smiling and laughing, chatting and catching up, they walked to the hangar together.

"How is everyone?" Bluestreak asked with a servo in each twin's free one.

"The hearing officials are leaving today. They'll file the report on the hit-and-run," Sideswipe said. "I like them. They seem no nonsense. And Prowl thinks they'll make the Thomas guy crack."

"Good," Bluestreak said punching in their door lock key, then they stepped inside. They would remain there all afternoon.

-0-Ironhide and Son

They walked in their circuit checking everything, showing the flag. It was secure and quiet, the base going through its normal routine. The Aerialbots that weren't on assignment on the rescue mission were sunning on the tarmac. Cosmos had just lifted off to go back to Autobot City carrying a number of things including that rotation on the duty roster.

He came upon the bench out front and sat, settling his sparkling on his lap. They watched the jeeps and hummers come and go, endless honks and waves that were met with endless smiles and waves back. Soldiers walking here and there stopped by, smiling at Orion and exchanging news with Ironhide.

The femmes who came out for a break ran across the tarmac to liberate the sparkling from Ironhide's lap, hugging and kissing him as he passed around the circle. Jessie who hugged him tightly looked at Ironhide. "This is the cutest sparkling I ever saw, Ironhide. When will Prowl get one?"

"Soon, I hope," Ironhide said. "I can't get with grabbing range of that mech without losing my sparkling."

"I heard," Jessie said snickering. "Ratchet told me. I don't think the base has enough sparklings. When are you and Ratchet having a date night so we can take care of this little cutie?"

"Date night? What's that?" Ironhide asked with a grin.

So they told him.

-0-Roberts and Thomas

Seth Thomas sat in the chair tense and wary. Roberts studied him then decided to go for broke.

"Mr. Thomas, I know that you, Bolton and Daniels don't regard the Autobot Embassy as legitimate but I assure you that our government does. Our President has had to direct the Secretary of State to write a number of formal and official apology letters to the Prime of Cybertron for offenses committed against his sovereign territory by our citizens, that is, the mercs that work here for Daniels. I wish I could convey to you how irritated those two people are."

Thomas swallowed hard as he paled slightly. He didn't speak but he was listening.

"I want to know today what happened at that hit-and-run. I don't want any more bullshit. I want the truth."

Thomas, wavering, looked at him tensely. "And if I do what happens to me?"

"You want a deal? I can't guarantee you anything. I wasn't given that option. But I will speak to the proper authorities that you were helpful. As it is, you'll stay in the Autobot brig until they decide to let you go unless you talk. I guarantee that before I go someone will talk. It might as well be you."

Thomas leaned back considering his options. Then he leaned forward again. "I want your word that you'll speak for me."

Roberts nodded. "Go on. Give me a reason."

Thomas deflated, sighing softly as he did. Then he decided to lie and save himself. "Bolton and I were drunk and driving around. Bolton was driving and heading down the beach. He saw those two alien kids and decided to run them down. Said Daniels would be very happy and pay him a lot of money to cause that kind of trouble."

"And you? What did you do?" Roberts asked quietly.

"I saw him start for them and I freaked out. I wanted to jump out but I was too drunk. I just yelled and hit him in the arm. Before he could drive over them two Autobots jumped out of nowhere and grabbed the kids. We drove past and there was a slamming on the back of the hummer. One of them shot us."

"What happened then?"

"We drove off passing a bunch of them running out of their hangar. They didn't look at us. They were armed and heading for the beach. So we drove off and dumped the hummer, then came back to the barracks."

"Bolton drove."

Thomas nodded his head. "He tried to run down little kids. He's a crazy fucker. He'll do anything for money."

"He received payment."

"Yes," Thomas said, "from Daniels. I think he got the cash from his grandpa."

Warren sat back considering the idea that the Majority Leader of the Senate and someone with Presidential ambitions should be paying money to mercenaries for trying to murder children. It turned his stomach. He leaned forward. "My aide is going to give you a pad and pen. Write it down. All of it. Details, Mr. Thomas. Then you will sign your name and we will have it witnessed by the base commander and the base chaplain. If you leave anything out we're over. Understood?"

Thomas nodded, taking both into hand. "Do I get out of their brig? Can I leave with you?"

"It's not my call. I can only speak with the Prime and it's all up to him."

Thomas sighed then gave his attention to the writing. As he did Warren arose and walked to the door, asking the orderly assigned to facilitate communications between his staff and Fulton to call a meeting with the base commander as soon as possible. He also asked that Prime or his authorized representative be present. Then he walked outside to chat the time away with Inferno.

-0-On the way home

They had met up, complements in the shuttles that were coming shifting with those in the shuttles meeting up. The refugees were resettled among the ships that arrived as well, the most in need of medical attention, the oldest and the youngest given priority as they spread out the tightly packed refugees. Three orphans were also shifted to Silverbolt to be tended to by medics.

Mechanics shifted vessels, working to repair systems overtaxed by the trip and all were greeted by the newcomers with joy, questions, anticipation and hopefulness. It was a warm moment and by the time they all turned around to head back they had formed a battle configuration. One could never be too careful.

-0-Nast

The chaplain and medic sat with Nast, the grieving man venting his anger and frustration. The medic prescribed him a sedative but he refused it. Finding he'd done all he could, the medic left leaving the chaplain alone with Nast. They sat together leaning against the wall and chatted softly, Nast venting his hatred and the chaplain letting him. It would be a long afternoon for both.

-0-Warren, Fulton and Prime

They met in the communications hangar, the two men waiting on the platform to watch as Prime walked inside. Warren who was impressed from day one by the dignity, intelligence and general charisma of the Prime wondered what it was like to see the world from 28 or 29 feet off the ground.

"Mr. Warren, Colonel," Prime acknowledged in his warm baritone. "You require my attention."

"Yes sir," Warren said. "I have a confession from Seth Thomas regarding the hit-and-run."

"You do," Prime said. "What did he tell you?"

"Lies mostly," Warren said with a smile. "He was there but he says that Tim Bolton, the other man was driving. I believe all of the details are exact but for that shift of blame. He also said that the bounty they both got for this was fronted by Daniels' grandfather, the Senate Majority Leader."

Prime nodded as a grim expression formed on his face. He glanced at Fulton who stepped forward. "I've briefed Mr. Warren on our situation and the delicate matter coming up. He's agreed to hold off this report and discussion about it with anyone else until he receives the all clear from us."

"I believe we're all working from the same page, sir," Warren said. "I want to remove this threat and so do you. We can work together here. I'm prepared to be your State Department-Justice Department liaison when the trap is sprung. I find that all of my cases, and I'm the officer in charge of all the investigations between you and Daniels … I believe they dovetail neatly with what you're planning in your attempts to take down Shockwave."

"I agree," Prime said. "I am concerned about who would know this. I would prefer to limit this to us and the N.E.S.T. and Autobot teams that are directly involved. I would hope you will not speak of this to anyone else that is part of your purview until we give you the all clear."

"I would do that," Roberts said. "I'm also prepared to be useful to you in any capacity I can be for the duration of this matter. It's painful to me as a professional person and as an American to see this sort of thing happening in the government I've worked for and served for nearly forty years. I'm at your disposal."

"Thank you, Mr. Roberts. If you could make arrangements with Colonel Fulton it will keep the lines of communication clear," Prime said sending a file of the conversation to Prowl internally.

"Done deal," Roberts replied nodding grimly. "I just want to be there when they arrest the Majority Leader of the Senate."

"You and me both," Fulton said with a grin.

Prime nodded as well.

-0-That afternoon in Med Bay

"He doesn't like his trap door messed with."

"Who does?" Ratchet replied watching as Ironhide cleaned up and shut off Orion's 'trap door' aka poop chute.

"He sure can squeal," Ironhide said turning his sparkling over to sit him on his tiny aft. The sparkling, furious at the indignity of having his outflow taken in such a manner reached out to swat at Ironhide.

Ratchet and Ironhide froze, looking at him with big optics. Orion for his part was looking at them both with narrowed ones. They glanced at each other, then Ironhide took Orion's little servo and gently slapped it. "No," he said firmly.

Orion who was looking at him leaned forward to slap him again.

Ratchet and Ironhide glanced at each other as they shifted with anxiety on their peds.

Ironhide who was not entirely clear on what to do took Orion's tiny servo and slapped it gently again. "No," he said with a voice not quite so firm as before.

Everyone stared at each other, Ratchet's optics wide with surprise, Ironhide's wide with tears and Orion's narrow with fury. Then he fell onto his back, clenched his little servos and howled.

Loudly.

Ironhide stepping back looked at Ratchet with genuine fear. "What do I do now?"

"You can either let him lay there like a brat or you can pick him up and be the old dad he needs," Ratchet said as unclear as Ironhide but faking it better.

Ironhide reached for the baby but Orion tensed and yelled louder. Ironhide stepped back. "Your turn."

Ratchet who was unnerved but resolute reached for the baby quickly and put him against his shoulder before he could move. Holding him tightly, Orion wailed, then finally stopped as he stared at Ironhide with the greatest, most intense expression of betrayal and angst his little face could form.

Ironhide who was spark broken looked back at his sparkling, his optics filling as he did. "He hates me."

"No," Ratchet said. "He's just being a brat."

"Our sparkling isn't a brat, Ratchet."

"He just was. Our sparkling is not going to be a brat, Ironhide. You must be firm with him. Patting his servo like that when he slaps at you was the right thing to do. He just pitched a fit when he didn't get his way, that's all."

"Can I hold him again or will he hold a grudge?" Ironhide asked, his voice low and pitiful.

Ratchet melting at his misery smiled. "You better toughen up, Ironhide. Wait until he's the size of the twins. You better teach him to be a good mech before then. He might punch you in the face instead of slapping at you like a sparkling."

Ironhide nodded then held out his servos but Orion wasn't having it. He looked away and clung to Ratchet. Ironhide with his expression equally as stricken turned away, too, wiping at his optics.

Ratchet looked at the sparkling in his arms and the one turned away then shook his head. "What am I going to do with the two of you? I want you both to play nicely. Ironhide."

He turned with a sniffle. Ratchet took the sparkling and handed it out to Ironhide who took him.

Orion immediately began to wail.

Ratchet then leaned into Orion's face. "No," he said firmly. "Stop your wailing."

Orion who stopped abruptly at Ratchet's tone leaned back against his old dad, his chin quivering as coolant rolling down his little cheeks. Looking up at Ironhide, he raised his arms. Ironhide turned him pressing him against his cheek, his own expression deeply relieved.

"Show him who's boss, Ironhide," Ratchet said as they walked for the door.

They continued outside moving to the bench to sit, two black Autobots sniffling and settling themselves. Ironhide patted his sparkling settling him in the crook of his arm. Orion looked at him with sad little optics and Ironhide returned the look. "We all know who the boss is don't we, Spud."

Orion cuddled down into Ironhide's embrace as Ironhide's spark circled Saturn with joy.