Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers: just my OC's & the plot.
WARNING! the subject of pedophilia IS touched upon in this chapter: nothing explicit or graphic, I promise! mostly suggestive, and that's how I've tried to keep it, but still. A lot of heavy feels, a lot of family turmoil, and one nasty-ass skeleton dragged out of the closet. If you feel you can't handle it, hey, it's okay, feel free to wait for the next chapter, I understand.
But just so you're aware, this is part of Hailey's back-story (and by extension her sister's, Becca and Becky) so this has been a long-time coming, and is/was sort of unavoidable. It's not an easy subject for anyone to approach, so I've tried to handle it the best way I can: if you have an opinion about it, please let me know in the reviews, I know this may touch a raw nerve for someone out there, so please, be respectful, and understand that this chapter was not easy for me to write, and I spent a long time carefully considering the content. Please read the closing notes at the bottom of the chapter.
SMALL MERCIES
Chapter 10: Breaking Point
Somewhere deep inside the base:
As they watched the chaos unfold via Blackshot's holoform display: everyone remained silent. The tension was as thick as it was unbearable; as Blackshot watched the live feed unfazed, and unmoved by Optimus's pain...
"The whole situation has gone completely out of control now!" the stranger growled from where he stood in the shadows: "Those seekers and cons were not part of the plan, the girl is way beyond anyone's control, and the boy-, I don't even know what he's turned into, but he took out seven of those seekers without so much as blinking! And Prime-"
"-What of it?" Blackshot interjected coldly, making it clear that this latest development wasn't her greatest concern right now,
The stranger was cautious; he knew better than to push her when she was like this: "...I'm just saying" he calmly explained: "If the plan is to succeed, we need to move now; the field disrupters aboard the ship are no longer an issue: even if Coldbore and Longrange didn't succeed in killing Deathshot and his pets. We've still obtained the main objective of this whole run-around, and Majestrix and Eclipse are still none the wiser"
"He's got a point" Coldbore added as he glanced down at the wound in his leg: "We're now short on time: and the battle outside has been forced to its crisis point. If we're going to do this, we need to do it now"
A brief pause passed between them, as Blackshot deactivated her holo-projectors, and glanced over at them: "...Very well; get the power back on: I'll see to Teletran"
"What about the command center?" Longrange asked, as he rubbed the sore spot on his side where Hailey slammed him with an energy blast: "The human president is still in there: and he's not meant to be part of this"
"Don't worry; I have a feeling that whole thing is going to sort itself out soon enough..." Blackshot replied, "Besides, the battle outside is already lost: Broadsword just doesn't know it yet..."
Meanwhile: somewhere in Washington DC:
"This is getting out of hand..." General Hallo grumbled, as he and the rest of the room watched the live feed of the fight play out,
"What the hell is that thing?" Burger thought aloud as he watched the giant sphinx attack two of the giant seekers,
"Whatever it is, it'll make a nice addition to one of our HV units," agent Red commented nonchalantly, "Speaking of which; I spoke to Arkeville before coming here: they've cleared out the sleeper-cell and have scorched earth. Nothing was left intact; including Beller's body"
"Very good," Hallo nodded with approval, "I take it Silas is still maintaining radio silence?"
"Yes sir, he's not contacted us yet"
"Were you able to get a fix on the Ainsley boy's location?" the senator glanced over at him with a particular dubious look,
"From when he and his cousins disappeared to when they showed up on the base again? Unfortunately no. We know they've been to Beller's house, and found his daughter's diaries: we surmise they've been trying to 'talk her out of it', but with the emergency control circuit running at full capacity, nothing short of a bullet to the brain will stop her now" Red explained as he watched Josie attack Optimus.
"What a waste" the senator rested her hands on the table, "And she had such potential"
"What makes you think she'll fail? She's got him on the ropes" Burger pointed to the screen,
"Please" she nonchalantly sighed as she rolled her eyes, "I may not be the type to resort to fisticuffs, but even I know when a fight's been lost; just be sure one of the unit's retrieve's her body before the Autobots have a chance to autopsy her"
"The loss of Project Circuit-breaker is not our only concern at this present time" Red explained, "Before disposing of the L.A sleeper cell: Arkeville and his team discovered that Beller came equipped with one of our EC jammer's; we believe that's how he got into the base without tripping the security system. In addition, we found out that he'd recently talked to Galloway, right before departing for California"
Everyone glanced over at him in confusion,
"What?" the general blinked in surprise.
The agent pressed a button on the table, and another monitor swung down from out of the ceiling: the image that appeared on the screen showed Beller and Galloway sitting together in a bar, and as Red turned up the volume, everyone listened...
Meanwhile, somewhere in LA:
As she watched the live feed of the Autobot's fight play out: Amy sat alone...
With her hands clasped tightly together, she sat there in the office chair: watching in silence, as tears fell down her cheeks...
"... Josie..."
Meanwhile, back at NEST, approximately seven minutes ago:
The command center was now in a panic,
As medical personnel tended to the wounded, the Autobots tried to clear the wreckage of the fallen walkways and platforms, and make a crude barricade in case the enemy got past the front line again. With the static field outside, no one could go anywhere, and with said static field now powerful enough to scramble the comms, no one knew what was going on outside.
But all that: was the last thing on the Waineright's minds right now...
"For Christ's sake Lawrence! Tell me, what the hell is going on?!" Jason demanded angrily,
Lawrence merely kept his eyes on the ground, and stubbornly refused to answer; he was backed into a corner, with nowhere left to run: and he knew it. There was no way out now...
Shoving the laptop back into Max's hands: Hailey stepped forward, and grabbing Lawrence his neck tie, yanked him forward (much to his alarm) and looked him square in the eye with a distinctly infuriated dagger-stare: "You flew all the way here to waste our time, my time: over some stupid family 'obligation', while we're fighting for our lives against an enemy that's got us on the ropes!" she angrily hissed, "I swear to God, if you don't tell us the truth right now, I will-
"You'll what?" Lawrence frowned, "You'll do, what? Exactly?"
Hailey was about to chew him out a new one, when her father beat her to the punch (literally this time); punching him in the side of the jaw so hard, that he keeled over backwards and fell to the floor: "This has gone on long enough! TELL US THE TRUTH LAWRENCE!"
"The truth? ..." Lawrence rubbed his jaw, "...The truth is irrelevant"
"IRRELEVANT?!" Max gawked, unable to comprehend what was going through this guy's mind (?): "How the hell is it not relevant?!"
"Stop"
"NO! They're your family! They have every right to know! Exactly what your family are! And the dirty little secrets they work so hard to keep under wraps!" she fumed,
"What?" Jason gasped, his voice and anger rising once again,
"What do you mean?" Hailey frowned,
"Stop it!-" Lawrence snapped as he tried to lunge up at her, but Jason pushed him back down again,
"I found out that Reggie's birth mother was only twelve when she had him: and that she was eleven when your 'uncle' Antony, raped her" Max stated frankly,
Silence
"...Also..." she continued in apprehension, "There were reports: rumours in the Washington papers that there were other kids; kids whose parents tried to have Antony arrested and charged for sexual assault. But it never came to anything because, either: A, his lawyers were real slick shysters at getting him off the hook, or B, someone blackmailed the parents into keeping quiet. The fact that the families were illegal's waiting for their green cards is probably no coincidence too...Am I right?" she glanced down at Lawrence...
Lawrence's shoulders went slack as he leaned back against the wrecked walkway, and breathed a deep bitter sigh of defeat; there was no point in continuing the charade now: "...Pretty much..." he reluctantly admitted.
Everyone gasped,
"What- ..." Jason was at a complete loss for words: of all the things he expected, he hadn't expected this, "I don't understand: how can-
"-I'm not proud" Lawrence was quick to clarify: "...I'm not proud, of any of it"
Realizing this whole thing was now completely flipped on its head, Hailey stepped in front of Lawrence, and standing over him, demanded: "...Tell me everything"
Lawrence looked up at her in defeat,
"After everything you've put us through today: you owe us" she seethed venomously,
Knowing she was right, and that he had no excuses left to give; Lawrence tried to gather his scattered thoughts, and explain as best he could...
"...Rumors have quite an insidious way of, coming back to haunt us. And what's more dangerous? They always tend to be based on an element of truth. I always use to wonder, what father meant whenever he used to say that..." he ran his finger's though his hair: "...Ever since we were very young, I used to wonder why mother never wanted us around? Sending us off to boarding school, to summer camps and the like, and whenever we were home, never letting us-...go to his place..." he glanced up at Jason, "You were too young to understand: too naive and too trusting of the world, to understand what was going on...Father thought he'd kept it hidden from me, and you especially: but I could always tell when he was making excuses..."
He paused a moment to steady his nerves: as his stomach turned to rot, while the memories came back and turned like a bad penny...
"...Once, when I was fifteen, I came home from school a day earlier than planned: no one seemed to have received my phone call because the usual 'welcoming committee' wasn't home. I went inside, and, heard someone moving around upstairs; thinking it was mother or father I went straight up...But-, when I opened the door: it wasn't either of them...It was Antony: he looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights, in one corner of the room there was a camera sitting on a tripod: and on the bed-, there was this, girl...She couldn't have been more than seven or eight: she was just sitting there, staring at me, as if to say 'help me'... I didn't know what was going on, or what I'd walked into, he told me to get out and slammed the door in my face. I called father immediately at his office, and told him what I'd saw. Everything after that seemed to go by so fast, almost in a blur: he was told to leave and not come back; the girl-, I didn't see her again: and father told me not to breath a word of it, to anyone...But of course: being as curious as I was, I couldn't help myself, and when mother returned home that night I told her everything..."
And for the first time, the stone cold poker face that had refused to budge: now began to crack under the weight of emotional turmoil...
"You know? Looking back on it in retrospect: part of me wanted to believe that she was doing it for our sake's, to be protective and keep us safe the only way she thought was best; did she try to do the right thing? But just-, went about it the wrong way?... For a long time since I was very young, I'd always heard about the 'rumours' that, Uncle Antony was a bit-, off. That he liked younger women, especially prostitutes dressed up as school girls. But as time went on, and I grew older, I began to hear of-...other things, going on...Bad things: that no one was supposed to talk about...I wanted so badly to believe that wasn't true: that no one in their right mind could be capable of- ...
Another pause, as he took a deep breath,
"... I told mother everything: not just what I saw in the bedroom, but everything else I'd heard over the years: and when I finished, I asked what she planned to do. And she just-...looked at me: looked at me, with that disapproving frown she always gave whenever we did something she didn't like; and I'm thinking 'what did I do wrong? What did I say to upset her?' and she told me; that no one, must ever know about this...Because if this got out in the papers? Her career and reputation up on the hill would be in ruins; ...She said: 'In this world, you do what you must to maintain your reputation, at all costs; if you want to make it in this world, you don't hold the door open for anyone, you step over them, without hesitation or pity. This is not a world where the weak can be put first, above those who rightly deserve their place at the head of the table; having to wait hand and foot on those common mongrels we call 'the people': that's beneath us, and it's beneath me. Better to be feared and respected, than taken lightly as someone can't hold their own against those decrepit old cretins in Congress'..."
Silence
"...I just-...stared at her: I couldn't believe what I was hearing; and I told her it wasn't right: what Antony was doing wasn't right...But it didn't matter, as far as she was concerned: Antony was just another skeleton in the closet, another secret we had keep under wraps for the sake of the Waineright name. And I had no choice but to keep it: because if I said anything?- ..."
For the longest moment, nobody spoke: no one knew what to say. What could be said? Even the Colonel was astounded by what he just heard, and the bots were just, awkwardly uncomfortable...
The subject of pedophilia was as alien as it was abstract for the Autobots to wrap their minds around: even if they asked about it (out of pure anthropological curiosity), the humans never spoke about it openly; never in places where others might overhear it: and never, where Lennox, Briggs, or any other of the humans that had offspring, could hear them. It wasn't something to be treated lightly, made fun of, or regarded as 'just one of those things the humans do'...it wasn't. And from day one, everyone from Optimus to the Chevy twins knew it wasn't something to bring up in conversation, unless you absolutely needed to.
And that was just within the confines NEST; further afield, it had different interpretations, depending on where you lived on earth: while some human cultures had no qualms with marrying off their prepubescent offspring to males of a far greater age: here in the West, it was as taboo as it was controversial: you couldn't even say the word pedophile, without someone vehemently and aggressively voicing their disdain for it.
The Autobots all had their own personal take on the subject: and in a way, being from another world with a completely different culture gave them a somewhat unbiased view of the subject. While the physical and emotional trauma it caused couldn't be justified in any way, shape or form: in a way, some were incline to think that in trying to stop to the problem, some humans, to a greater or lesser degree, had inadvertently made it worse. Social media hysteria, news media hype, and just plain old-fashioned paranoia egged on by over-protective parents, had created so much misinformation on the subject, that it was difficult to draw a line between what was fact and what was faux. And while their fears were valid and justified, at the same time, there was a neglect (of sorts) of balancing the need for justice, coupled with the need to treat the subject with the tact, dignity and discretion that it warranted. In short, it was a mine-field you didn't cross, thinking that you'd come out the other side, and life would carry on as normal...
It was one of those 'human things' that forced you to think: and think about something that was as uncomfortable as it was psychologically complicated...
But for Hailey, her sister's and her parents: that wasn't the case. She didn't know what to think, as she just stood there: standing over the now emotionally exhausted man that was her uncle.
Though he hadn't broken out into tears or started sobbing: the disgust, anger, and shame were etched upon his face like battle scars. In a way, part of him had hoped that coming clean about this would alleviate the burden, set his mind free perhaps? But all he felt was horror and disgust, for all the years he had to keep this, and still keep it. Being President of the USA, he so acutely aware of just how trapped he was... And now, everyone standing around him knew it too...
Lawrence felt his mind spinning; dizzy, his mouth dry as the desert out, and stomach still gripping the rest of his insides and refusing to let go.
After taking several deep breaths to try and clear his head, he continued: "...She never let him near us; knowing her, he wouldn't dare push his luck. But that's no excuse: I contacted the papers (anonymously of course); hoping the rumours would shame him and her into coming clean. But neither of them budged: and, after a while I think she began to realize who it was that started the rumor mill; not that she would accuse me without evidence to show for it: and I always made sure, there was nothing she could use against me: or you...
"Me?" Jason frowned,
"...Antony-..." he swallowed hard, "...After you turned seven, I-, began to notice that-...he started noticing you...And Reggie,"
The colour drained from Jason's face, as he stared at him in horror...
"All those years after that; all those times I picked on you and Reggie, put you down for being second best, for being a disappointment... You were both already so rebellious, and I knew, it was just a matter of applying the right kind of pressure, so that you'd get so pissed off that you couldn't stand to be around us. And eventually, you both left...There were so many times, I wanted to tell you the truth, to tell you-, everything and be done with it all. But when it came time to it: the rift was so great that I just, couldn't get you to listen...Not that it mattered in the long run, you moved out here, married the woman you loved, and had three-...Astonishing daughters..."
The twins blinked in surprise, as did Hailey... "...But why this?" Hailey pleaded, "Why this-, whole charade of making us out to be the bad guys? Why did you come here in the first place?"
"Because I didn't have a choice!-" Lawrence spat back: realizing he raised his voice and temper too high, he immediately calmed down, and explained in a quieter tone: "...I, didn't have a choice, because mother found out about you three: about NEST, about the Autobots, about-, everything you do here. And she's paranoid over the possibility of someone, one of her enemies finding out, and using it against her"
"That information was, and still is classified: you had no right to share it with someone who wasn't on the classified access list" Prowl stated vehemently,
"I know but- Lawrence paused, suddenly too afraid to continue,
Realizing he was scared, and the reason most likely why; Jason asked: "...What does she have on you?"
Staring up at him in alarm, the fear in Lawrence's eyes wasn't hard to miss; he leaned forward, got back up on his feet, dusted himself off, and stood there: somehow, looking smaller than he did before: "...Let's just say: that medal of honor I was 'awarded'? Not so much earned, as it was bought; at someone else's expense...Mother figured that, if I was going to be in the military as appose to politics, I might as well have something to show for it. Nothing less would be tolerated"
Silence
"... Making you out to be the 'black sheep'; was so you didn't have a reason to stay in DC, and not want to come back" Lawrence sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair again, "I would rather you believe we didn't care for your independence, than have to live with the stigma of knowing our uncle is a pedophile...I didn't want that for you; I didn't want that for your family. For your children to grow up with that stain upon their names. I would've taken it to the grave if I could, but now-..."
"...Just tell me..." Jason asked bitterly, "What really happened to Reggie?"
"...Reggie learned the truth about Antony...One day, about a week before he passed: a woman showed up at his apartment claiming to be his birth mother, and that Antony raped her when she was only eleven. She said she found out via 'a friend in the system'. I don't know how she did it, but she managed to get a hold of the adoption papers and sealed birth certificate, and presented them to Reggie as proof. Skeptical of course, he asked for a blood test to prove maternity: and sure enough, much to all our surprise; she was his real mother...She said that upon finding out what Antony had done: mother had blackmailed her parents into handing Reggie over, and naming her and father as his legal guardians: rather than have a bastard child from an illegitimate mother, she stated that she'd rather have the child and be sure he was brought up a Waineright, than be an 'undesirable'. Being illegal's with no green cards and hardly a cent to their names, what choice did they have?... But now? She came back for him, and to expose Antony for what he really is... Reggie came to us demanding answers: father reluctantly told him the whole sordid affair; and mother, true to form, threatened both him and her to remain silent. But Reggie wasn't intimidated, not this time: he threatened to go to the police and the press with what they both knew...The day he died, I went to his apartment to tell him my side of things, to tell him the whole truth, about what I'd known all these years. Needless to say, the conversation got very heated; and I told him that I came to offer whatever he needed to try and make this right...But-, he didn't want my help, and told me to leave...Later that night, I got a call from father: and he-...told me what happened"
"And what did happen? Exactly?" Jason demanded vehemently,
"...That's just it! ..." Lawrence looked him in the eye with a sense of dread, "...He didn't tell me anything...he just said; 'the matter has been resolved'; I don't know what the hell he meant by that, but I suddenly got this sick feeling in my gut... I tried to call Reggie's mother on her cell, but she didn't pick up, I tried her apartment, but no answer there either...And then, mother walks in, with that sly knowing look in her eyes, and tells me: 'I wouldn't worry about her; she won't pose a problem for us anymore'...Two weeks later: her body washes up on the shore near Old Town. Police said it might have been a drug deal gone wrong, a botched robbery? Who knows? ...I could give a good guess, who knows..."
Another pause, as he let his anger subside, and allowed the self-loathing to crawl its way out:
"...I fucked this up; from the very start I fucked this up...The one time, I tried to break away from her by joining the Marines, and I couldn't even do that right! I run for the vice-presidency, to try and do something legitimate, honest, for the right reasons: but even that's not good enough; I have to be the President of the United States, the son any mother would be proud of, the son, that was always going to live his mother's fantasy, her life; but never his own...And even now, I'm expected to rain my 'wayward' nieces in, and hold them accountable for the sin of their father's rebelliousness staining the family name...Well? We all know that's not going to happen without a fight; so, what am I to do?" he shrugged with a pained smile: spent and defeated, he was virtually a shadow of the man, who not less than ten minutes ago, was threatening them at gun point.
No one spoke
Jason looked like he was struggling to take it all in, while Beverly and the girls didn't know what to do. Nobody wanted to believe it, it was just too incredible; but then, in some twisted way, it was too incredible, to believe it could be a lie (if that was even possible at this point?). The mind, simply reeled...
As the Waineright's stood there, trying to come to terms with this revelation: with everyone else immediately around them trying to wrap their own minds around what they just heard. The open comm line suddenly crackled to life, as the pained sounds of Optimus's pleas for help, crackled over the distorted line,
Over on the far side of the room, Elita grasped her chest in pain, as she felt her spark-mate's pain reverberate down the bond...
Outside, everyone's lives were now hanging by a thread...
Down and out, the bots couldn't move as the static charge fried their circuits like acid on exposed metal; with every blast and pulse, the pain throbbed all the more.
Lying on the ground, knocked out from the counter-field repulsion of the combined BSHB shields colliding with Josie's; Morri, Tom and Danny were in serious danger, as Ashley and the Broadsword con's fight raged on. Once or twice one of the bots tried to reach them, but with no luck, and with the fight taking place directly between the cousins and the main entrance: the NEST troops were unable to retrieve them,
As he willed himself to stay awake, Optimus glanced up as Josie raised her hand to strike him with yet another energy blast...
But Suddenly, Josie went flying as Darren and Miles both slammed into her from behind, and tackled her to the ground, rolling across the dirt and crashing into a rock. Miles raised his fist to try and knock her out, but Josie was fast as she hit him in the chest, and punched him to the side instead. Darren grabbed both her arms by the wrists and forced her to her feet: she struggled and thrashed around, but he wouldn't let go, and as she tried to throw him off with several powerful energy pulses, Darren stubbornly willed his BSHB's shields to stay intact, as he pulled her in closer: "JOSIE STOP IT!" he yelled angrily, trying to get through to her; if he was able to snap her out of it before, surely he could do it again? : "THINK ABOUT AMY! WHAT WOULD SHE SAY IF SHE SAW YOU DOING THIS?!"
But Josie didn't respond this time: whatever was controlling her had her well and truly under its spell this time. Catching brief glimpses of the downed Autobots, the giant sphinx fighting the Broadsword cons, the NEST troops hiding in the tunnel of the main entrance: and the devastation all around, Darren felt his heart clench with dread, as he realized; this fight was not going to end the way he hoped it would...
'She's not the enemy' Darren fumed internally: 'Those sick twisted bastards took advantage of a broken human being, and turned her into this monster!' looking in her dead lifeless eyes, he could practically see all her life's pain, reflected in the tears that were now streaming down her cheeks: 'She didn't ask for this, she didn't ask to made into a soldier, to fight a war she didn't even know existed!' he jumped back as she tried to hit him, but he didn't let go: '...What happened at Mission City; Optimus didn't know, he couldn't have: he was just trying to protect her, to protect everyone! None of this was his fault!'
Another large energy pulse forced Darren to let go, but he didn't back away: and as he raised his fists ready to fight: his blood began to boil: 'I swear, if anyone deserves to die for this, It's Broadsword!'
Josie came at him, but got kicked out of the way as Ashley came crashing through their path with three seekers clinging to his back, and the rest of the enemy forces firing at him. Thrashing, kicking and clawing about in a blind rage, the giant sphinx was lost to the world as he furiously tried to kill his attackers, who were just quick enough to stay out of his immediate range.
Not that any of that fazed Josie or Darren, as they picked themselves up again: and lunged at each other again...
"This is insane!" Lennox fumed as he watched helplessly from the tunnel; behind him, Mikaela, Sam and a few of the other soldiers were trying their best to comfort Ratchet, as he lay on the tarmac curled up in the fetal position: unable to move for the pain in his CPU. "Can you take the shot?!" he demanded.
"Dude, their moving way too fast! I can't get shit on any of them at this range!" Figg anxiously shouted back,
"And where the hell did John go?!" Epps pointed to where John had landed on the ground just moments before, only to see the Royal marine was nowhere to be seen,
Just about overhearing them through the static in his audios: Bluestreak forced himself to sit up, and looking over at where Darren and Josie were slugging it out, he forced his weapons system to calculate the distance, wind speed, and follow Josie's fast jerky movements. Priming his wrist gun: he tried to hold his arm steady as he extended it to take aim. The pain was unbearable, as the static made his whole body jolt and twitch uncontrollably, but he forced all his strength into his arm and neck to try and aim. The distance between Bluestreak and Josie was barely more than thirty feet, but for the gunner, it felt more like thirty miles...
As she darted back and forth around Darren, he followed her every move, waiting for that split-second when he'd get a clean shot that wouldn't hit Darren from the side or behind. But as she moved again, Darren was now right between them...
"C-c-c-come on D-Darren, m-m-move! ..." Bluestreak grunted as he bit back the pain; but another pulse made him jolt so violently that he accidentally pulled the trigger. The bullet shot out and missed Darren, but it deflected off of Josie's shield: and got her attention. Glancing over at where the shot came from, she punched Darren hard enough that he staggered back and fell to the ground, then floated up into the air, and hurdled herself at the gunner, energy flickering off her like a raging inferno...
In that split second, Bluestreak knew he wouldn't survive; sitting there next to the still-barely conscious Optimus, he glanced down at the mech he'd always looked up to, the only one who'd been like a father to him. And as he accepted this moment: the moment of his death, he smiled in thanks, for all the years he got to serve by his side; and for being such a good friend...
"NNOOOOO!" Optimus howled in anguish.
"-NO!" Hailey screamed as she slammed sideways into Josie, and grabbing her by the arm, yanked it so hard and fast that she dislocated Josie's right shoulder. But Josie didn't seem to notice as she tried to attack Hailey, but instead, Hailey came at her with a barrage of energy-infused punches, pounding her hard and fast with everything she had...
Watching her in astonishment, Prime and Bluestreak were completely taken aback: they'd never seen Hailey so...Angry, so, brutal: as she just laid into Josie like a pitbull; unrelenting, furious, and enraged. The mind-control over Josie didn't seem to waver as the blond teen kept hitting her over and over: but Josie's injuries were now beginning to hamper her performance, as she was beginning to lose her balance, and was becoming more out of breath as she struggled to hold her ground.
Regardless, the two fought hard and fast, and as quickly as Hailey took her by surprise, she finished the fight just as fast with an all-mighty punch to the side of Josie's head. The blow knocked Josie to the ground, and as she drifted in and out of consciousness: Hailey stood over her, waiting for her to get back up...
"...A-A-Amy..." Josie mumbled: and as she fell unconscious, a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth...
In that instant, the static field cut out, and the pain was gone.
As they got back up, Optimus and Bluestreak approached Hailey, and as Darren cautiously approached, the now bloodied blond took a moment to try and slow her breathing; the pain of her wounds now got her attention, as she looked down at her bloodied knuckles. She wasn't sure what to be more scared by: the fact that she just won her first proper fistfight; or the fact that she just completely lost it, and not for the reason Bluestreak was assuming at this point...
"Wow..." was all he could say, "Are you okay?"
"I'm-, I'm fine" she panted: "I'm just glad you're okay"
Darren kneeled down next to Josie: and was relieved, upon feeling her pulse, that she wasn't dead: "This wasn't her fault" he stated,
"...I know" Hailey sighed in retrospect,
"Optimus," Darren got back up, and met Prime's gaze, "I found Josie's sister, Amy"
Optimus nearly gasped in surprise,
"She wants her little sister back"
Prime was about to reply, when suddenly-
"-MOVE IT!" Trailbreaker pushed Optimus and Bluestreak out of the way as Ashley and the Broadsword cons came crashing through (Darren and Hailey quickly grabbed Josie and beat a hasty retreat to the tunnel entrance).
"Oh yeah, nearly forgot about them" Bluestreak deadpanned as he and Prime watched the fight, "What do we do?"
As they noticed the Autobots get back up, some the cons and seekers broke away, and charged at them; "Get ready!" Prime readied his wrist guns. But then, suddenly: before he had a chance to aim and fire, a giant flash of silver and grey dashed past him from behind, and sliced two of the seekers in half, before coming to a stop: "Majestrix?" Optimus blinked in surprise.
"Sorry for taking so long" she apologized as she cut down another three cons that came at her: and then, noticed the giant sphinx fighting the remaining enemy forces: "Primus! What is that thing?"
"It's Ashley" Optimus stated: Majestrix nearly gawked as she glanced back and forth between Ashley and Optimus, and merely shrugged her shoulders: "Okay, whatever: you can fill me in later: right now it looks like he's-
But before Majestrix could finish, suddenly, the giant cannons on Ashley's shoulders hummed to life, and in rapid succession, they fired blast after blast of vivid red plasma energy: blasting the Broadsword cons and seekers to pieces, and annihilating the remaining enemy forces in less than ten seconds. With all his attackers dead, the giant sphinx stood over the dead cons, sniffing them, making sure there was no sign of life left.
"Well, that takes care of them" Bumblebee sighed with relief: "Ashley! Are you okay?" Optimus called to him.
Hearing the Prime's voice: the sphinx snapped his head towards the bots direction, his eyes still glowing red: and in one gut-wrenching moment, Optimus realized that it wasn't Ashley staring at him; as the sphinx growled angrily, and hunched down low into an attack position.
"-SLAG!" Trailbreaker cursed as he and the other bots aimed their weapons at him. The giant sphinx charged, but just before he reached the bots, Deathshot suddenly slammed down onto the ground between them: "ASHLEY!" he held his hands up, and the sphinx screeched to a halt. It growled and hissed at him, but didn't attack.
"Ashley it's me! Deathshot! Don't you recognize me?!" the sniper pleaded: the sphinx merely circled him, eyeing him up with its silver-ish white teeth bared. As they watched the strange yet tense scene, Majestrix and Optimus both came to the same conclusion: "Some part of him is still in control" she thought aloud, "But the question is: can he overcome it completely?" Optimus added worryingly,
'Yes, he can'
Recognizing the telepathic voice instantly: Optimus saw Ravage appear from behind him, and quietly pad his way towards Deathshot: coming around the sniper from behind, he stepped to one side to let the panther approach...
Watching on in anxious worry: everyone watched the panther-drone and giant sphinx circled one another; matching each other in pace and rhythm. Optics locked together; Ashley stared down at the drone, as Ravage's one optic began to glow white...
'You remember me, don't you?' the creature heard the deep basso voice echo through it mind; it sounded familiar somehow, but from where? Who?
'Don't you remember them?'
Glancing down: the creature suddenly saw something laying on the ground, a small other creature of some kind: not like the one's it had been fighting. Stopping in front of it, and bowing its huge head down to get a closer look at it, the creature watched as it stirred to life...
As she began to come around, and her vision cleared: Morri was alarmed to see the giant sphinx looming over her, staring right at her. She didn't remember at first who it was, but then, she suddenly recalled...
"Ashley?"
Hearing that voice, he suddenly remembered everything: his whole life flashed through his mind as the years came flooding back, everything that had happened; every sight, every smell, every person, everything that shaped him into the boy he was now, everything that lead him to this moment...
"I REMEMBER!-" Ashley roared in a deep basso voice as he jerked back in shock: "I remember everything! I remember-
That was when he looked down, and saw his giant paws: looking back around his shoulder, he nearly gawked when he saw the rest of himself; and as his mind began to free-fall into a panic, a familiar voice echoed through his mind...
'Calm down, you're okay; I'm here with you now'
"Ravage?" he suddenly remembered the panther, as he padded towards him. "I-, what the hell am I?!"
"You've transformed" the panther coolly explained, "The enemy is defeated: it's time to transform back now"
"But I-, I don't know how?!" the giant sphinx panicked,
"Yes, you do" the panther stated, "You did it before with your previous form: this is no different" he stopped in front of him, "Just think about what you need to do, and focus"
Ashley was scared, but he knew Ravage knew what he was talking about: turning his thoughts inward and ignoring the outside world, he tried desperately to remember how to transform between his human and hybrid forms, and as he slowed his breathing and closed his optics, he tried to bring the memory into full clarity; and like riding bike again after so many years, it suddenly came back to him...
Everyone watched on as the giant sphinx glowed red all over, his entire form enveloped by that vivid scarlet light, and in less than several seconds, the outline of his body changed: morphing, and shrank back into that of the small boy he was before. When he opened his eyes again, his head was swimming in dizzy mind-numbing exhaustion, he felt so light that he thought he was going to float right up off the ground...
As he fell over backwards, his father caught him, and held him as his knees gave out: "It's alright son, I'm here now" John assured him softly as he held him close. Hearing his father's voice, Ashley felt his heartbeat slow, and allowed the exhaustion to overcome him, as he drifted into unconsciousness. "Ashley?" John shook him lightly.
"He'll be alright" Ravage assured him, "He just exhausted"
Cautiously approaching, the Autobots and NEST troops were still trying to wrap their minds around what they'd just seen. Sitting up and not being too worse for wear, Morri, Tom and Danny joined their uncle at his side, as they gazed down at Ashley, sleeping in his arms.
"What-, just happened?" Tom asked offhand, as he tried to remember what just happened.
"...I don't know..." Ravage confessed anxiously,
From where they stood watching the scene inside the tunnel, both Darren and Hailey allowed a cautious sense of relief to pass between them: leaning against the wall, Darren rubbed the sore spot on his side where he got hit earlier: "...Thank god that's over" he sighed as he tried to ignore the pain. Thinking back to what happened between her and Josie, and the anger he saw on Hailey's face, Darren asked cautiously: "...Listen, when you came out of the tunnel; what happened back there? ..."
Thinking back to the minutes before Prime's voice came through on the comm; Hailey wasn't comfortable with the idea of telling him what happened in the command center: "...I-...I don't want to talk about... not right now at least" she quietly replied.
Hearing the anxiousness in her voice, Darren thought it best not to pry: "...Okay" he nodded. Gazing down at the still-unconscious Josie, Hailey asked: "...What you said before: you really found her sister?"
"Yeah," Darren stepped over to her side,
"And she really wants her back?" she asked skeptically
As he remembered the meeting with Amy, and the nature of how it happened; Darren couldn't help but think aloud: "For no other reason other than she wants her little sister back? I hope that is the case"
"You don't think she's legit?" Hailey glanced at him half-surprised,
Darren was unsure what to think: between what he saw during his online research of Josie, what he read in her diaries, and what happened in the wake of the 'Mission City incident'. It was hard to say what was legit and what wasn't; and then there was the subject of their father, where had he been throughout this whole affair? Was he still out there somewhere? And if so, could he be looking for them?
"...I have an idea" Darren glanced over at Optimus, "But, I'm going to need help"
Back down in the command center:
With the battle now over, the tension in the room was slowly turning back into a wary sense of ease, as everyone stood down from their battle stations, and returned to the original business of trying to restore power to the base.
But the situation concerning the Waineright's was still raw and tense; as the focus of the family crisis had now shifted from past sins, to the present conundrum...
"...I don't care what mom wants: I'm not going back to Washington. And neither are the girls" Jason sighed, his anger exhausted and waned into mental fatigue.
"I know that" Lawrence rubbed his face, trying to stay focused, "And if there were another way I could get you out of this, I'd take it. But I don't!"
Glancing back and forth between Lawrence and his brother: the cogs in Lizzy's mind began to turn, as half an idea began to form: "...Your mom: what would she say if you guys were dead?"
Everyone did a double take, not quite sure if they heard her right: "...What?" Lawrence gawked.
"Listen," Lizzy glanced at both Jason and Lawrence, "Your mom wants you back home, but you don't wanna go...And you're serious about helping him get outta this, right?"
The brothers both glanced at one another in confusion. Where was she going with this? "Yes?" they both replied.
At that moment, Lizzy got an idea: and it reflected in the wicked grin now plastered across her face, "Okay, I got an idea," she beckoned Firefly to follow her, "'FLY! Come on! We got work to do!"
"Wait a sec-" the Colonel held up one hand, "What have you got in mind? Exactly?"
"What I've got in mind is: a plan to sort this whole mess out, and get you guys off the hook with your mom..." she glanced at the brothers, before turning her attention back to everyone else. "'Fly, I need you to collect some of that wreckage" she pointed to the downed walkway behind her, "The sharp pointy ends preferably, and put it to one side: afterwards, go to Wheeljack's lab and get his basic tool kit: the one with the laser-saw and welder, plus some duck tape. Roxy, I'm gonna need to borrow your make-up kit: Someone go to human resources and get me a camera, one of those fancy one's that have hi-res: Jeanie, I'm gonna need you to go to the kitchen and get me a butt-loada powered sugar, cocoa powder, red food colouring, lots of water, a tablespoon measurer, a blender, and paper towels, lots and lots of paper towels. And someone go find Glen, and tell him we're gonna need the Photoshop on his laptop, and Lawrence?"
"Yes?"
"Call your mom and tell her to cancel the family reunion: there's been a death in the family: five to be exact"
"...What?!"
Back in Washington, around about the same time:
As the monitor swung back up into the ceiling, the room remained deathly silent:
Astonishment quickly began to morph into panic, as the realization of what had happened, began to sink in,
But near the head of the table, the atmosphere surrounding the senator was tense; as she stared off into space, her cool, calm and measured exterior belied the fury and anger that was beginning to boil up. And though she never once let it out, her aura began to feel like fire; burning those around her, who dare not meet her now stern, cold, unwavering gaze.
"This..." she regarded the General with a dagger stare, "Goes beyond, disappointment, General"
"I warned you prior to this" he ground his teeth: his patience for the woman now reaching the end of his rope, "Galloway was-
"He was what?" she talked him down aggressively, "he was what, exactly? Granted, his access to the Autobots was the most convenient for us, but I warned you he was weak!"
"-And I warned you: Beller was a liability from the start!" the General snapped, "Granted, his services had run their course, but you didn't need to push him that far!"
She glanced at the general coldly, and merely purred, "Sometimes General, some men need to be reminded, just how vulnerable their balls are: and why, it doesn't pay to cross me. I suggest, you let what happened with Beller go, and concentrate on the mess he's created"
No one spoke back to her, no one dared to; for a group of men who're used to being the alpha dogs, being put in their place by this female was both humbling, and infuriating...
"She's right," one gentleman spoke up, "Because of Beller's action's we're going to need to move fast, if we're to have any chance of staying on top of this"
"In that case" General Hallo spoke up, "Now would be the prudent to time to bring in Galloway's replacement"
Everyone glanced at him in surprise, "...You recruited her already?"
"I'm meeting with her later for the formal introduction; and to introduce the, 'alarming developments' at NEST" he gestured to the screen that showed the live feed of the offline cons: "...Hopefully, if the situation at NEST is allowed to progress naturally, we won't need to go about the final phase of NEST's neutralization behind the Pentagon's back. We'll have a legitimate reason to introduce Broadsword, that won't involve the usual NSC red tape. All we need to do in the meantime, is wait for Silas to report what's happened on his end, and from there, arrange the final details"
"Very well" Senator nodded in agreement, "Make it so: and, keep tabs on Air Force One: the second Galloway gets off that plane, tell him we need to have a little chat..."
A/N: Oh boy... This chapter, was a PAIN!: and not just because of Hailey's family history being dragged out for all to see: Allow me to explain and clarify:
Pedophilia: though it's not a subject to be talked of and regarded lightly, for those of us (like myself) that have a morbid curiosity for crime and forensic documentaries, presents a fascinating (albeit morbid) look into a psychological defect, that's near-impossible for anyone to get their head around. For all the damage and consequential psychological trauma it can cause, it's also mentally abstract. Now, I was fortunate as a child, never to have encountered a pedophile, but when I learnt of the subject, and the implications it had for the people affected by it: I found myself, morbidly curious as to the psychiatry behind it, than just outright anger, as most of us are (understandably) prone to doing.
But you see, I'm one of those people who, rather than hate on something that's bad, tries to understand how and why it's 'bad': to try and find a way to properly correct it if need be. And through learning of pedophilia from a clinical POV, I found myself curious as to how it could work as part of one of my OC's back-story.
When I first created Hailey, I knew from the get go that I wanted her to have the outward profile of the 'perfect American rich girl': beautiful looks, cute little sisters, big house, loving parents who're both successful in their careers and both come from rich families: all in all, the near-perfect Mary-sue. Only, having a Mary-sue was not on the cards, so I figured having a big skeleton in Hailey's family closet would balance it out. But I wasn't comfortable with the idea of Hailey having been abused as a little kid (too many psychological and behavioral notes to keep track of), and then I thought, "what if she had an uncle who was a sexual predator?" and the idea of her father not even being aware would add an extra dimension to the equation. I can't say it was something I liked, but I liked the fact that it added 'a dark side' (of sorts) to Hailey's family past; and in particular, to her Grandmother, Ruth...
Now; by now, most of you have probably figured out that Hailey's grandmother is a forerunner in the Worst mother of the year awards: and suffice to say, she IS one cold-hearted bitch, and not just for keeping uncle Antony's 'activity's' under wraps. The subject of mothers killing their own children is, again, a subject of morbid curiosity for me, and suffice to say, It certainly helped to lay a lot of the ground-work when I first created Ruth. I wanted a mother-figure, who was anything BUT a real mother, and who's selfish actions had consequences for everyone, even the Autobots. A narcissistic power-hungry woman who makes Tony Soprano look like a little bitch. I won't give too much away at this point, but long and short: when I'd completed working out her profile, and I stepped back to get an overall look at her as a charecture, I said to myself "Wow, she's pretty ruthless", and thus, the name Ruth, just seemed the most appropriate (albeit obvious) choice.
Speaking of which: if you think you can stomach it, stick around for the final installment of Small mercies, if you think what Ruth did to her family was bad enough, you ain't seen the worst of it yet. (meh, I'm pretty evil)
I hope I didn't unsettle anyone too much: if you feel I didn't do this chapter right, or if there's something I missed, Please please peeeeease let me know in the review page; I'd REALLY like to hear your opinion on this: this wasn't an easy chapter to write, and second opinion would be very much welcomed.
Anyway, one last chapter and the Epilogue to go! See you next time! :)