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Cade had figured out how to control the mechanical bug thing (he said he stole it from the Cemetery Wind agents who raided his farm), and asked Optimus if he could stop and test it out. Optimus pulled over at a rocky ledge, overlooking a little area designed for tourists (from what I guessed).
We all watched as Cade put together all the materials he needed for the his theory to work. After all of his things were set up, Cade got the thing up and flying. He used the computer as a way of seeing where he was going. He attached one of his credit cards to an arm he made from the antennae and flew it to the spot. We all watched quietly, giving Cade the concentration he needed. I knew Optimus was mildly interested, even though he didn't transform.
It took a few minutes, and scaring an old guy down below, but Cade managed to find an ATM and maneuver the drone to put his credit card in.
"I knew it," Cade murmured. Looking over his shoulder, we all saw that his account had been declined. Maneuvering the drone back to us, before anyone else showed up, Cade put it, and everything else, away; not before writing a written message. And I was pretty sure I knew who he was sending it to.
Once we were on the road again, after watching the cops pull into the little spot and handcuff the few people there, the silence commenced. No one spoke about what happened; no one really wanted to talk about anything. Optimus just kept us distanced from the actual threat.
It was about, maybe, half an hour into our drive, Optimus sent out a message.
"Calling all Autobots, calling all Autobots," he said. I felt the corners of my mouth twitch. We'd finally get to know who made it. While I knew I had a list of the ones who were slaughtered by Cemetery Wind, I had learned to ignore the sensation of their names being etched into my skin. I had a feeling it was long, and I wasn't ready to look at that.
As Optimus continued driving, a white truck drove by, giving Optimus a chance to quickly scan the nicer looking truck and change his appearance. We all jerked forward; as the cramped space of the old, beaten truck became bigger. The old seats became nice leather and everything looked brand new. The sounds of the outside changing and shifting surrounded us as we tried to comprehend that the Prime found a new disguise.
As we drove down the road, there was a different feeling in the air. It was more...confident. We all just looked at each other, stunned.
"That was insane!" Shane said. "It was awesome, but it was insane, right?"
In the distance, we saw the figures of something approaching us. The Energon Signatures gave me the chance to know they were Autobots. I let out an airy laugh. I prayed Bee and Sideswipe, Ironhide and Ratchet, were just a few among the ones who made it. I desperately wanted to see Blossom and Abby, to see how their babies were doing. I wanted to see Mya, Rosalyn and her children. It felt like forever since I saw them last, and a lot of things could change in forever. They drove off in different directions, seemingly hiding in the rocky mounds of our new surroundings to transform.
Our surroundings became less of flat land, and more rocky. The ground jutted out more, the road becoming rockier than it previously was. While I guessed maybe Texas had naturally rocky plains, I wasn't too sure. Maybe the rockier area we were driving to was a safe cover for everyone to transform.
Driving our way down, I felt more Energon Signatures. Looking out the windows, I saw one Autobot on top of a rocky mound, his gun out, cheering. A helicopter flew above us, as if patiently waiting for Optimus to transform. As Optimus came to a stop, a green Autobot came up beside him, a smile on his facial plates.
I didn't recognize him as any of the Autobots I knew.
"Mr. Leader of the Free Galaxy's back," he exclaimed, a semi-thick British accent lacing his words. The helicopter flew down, transforming before he touched the ground. "I knew you'd make it. I never doubted you."
The once-helicopter Autobot, who was designed almost as if he were a samurai, hit the green one on the forearm before giving a bow to Optimus. "We've been waiting," he said, an accent lacing his words as well.
"You know them?" Cade asked.
I shook my head. "They're new," I said simply. We all got out of Optimus. Looking around, I saw Bee's form walking up to us, nodding once. I had the biggest smile on my face. If Bee was alive, then Abby and the twins were as well.
"Hell yeah." A heavy looking Autobot, with what looked to be symbolizing a cigar in his mouth, weapons of various kinds covering his body, and what looked like a beard and mustache covering his face, stood nearby, looking at Optimus proudly. "Gang's back together."
We all piled out of Optimus. The others uncomfortably shifted where they stood, clearly not used to being surrounded by Autobots. While I wasn't very comfortable with the new ones yet, I was happy to see Sideswipe and everyone else make out alive. Everyone turned to see Optimus transform, which was a little more intense since he got a newer form, and he stood with the air of a leader, looking around briefly at the Autobots around him.
"Humans have asked us to play by their rules," Optimus began, "well, the rules have just changed."
"Human beings," the heavier one muttered, dropping various guns on the ground as he walked. "Bunch of back stabbing weasels."
Sideswipe gave a snort, using a motion similar to an eye roll. He crossed his arms over his chest.
"Find your inner compass," the blue one said. "Loyalty's but a flower in the winds of fear and temptation."
"What the hell are you sayin'?" The heavier one looked at the blue one with a scrutinizing look.
"It's a haiku." The way the blue one said it so simply, it made me shake my head. There were obvious tensions between all the Autobots, and hearing those two wasn't making it better.
"Hear we go," Ironhide muttered bitterly.
"Cut the crap before I drop a grenade down your throat." The heavy one grabbed a grenade and yanked the blue one forward. The blue one grabbed a sword and held it to the other's throat.
"Try it, you'll be dead," he hissed.
"Oh please do it," the other begged.
"You know what...Save us so much time!" Bee said through his radio, throwing a hand in the air. They all looked frustrated with each other.
I shook my head. They weren't like that before. But time and change made them become the way they were.
"Well, raise your hand if you're thoroughly disenchanted by our little pleasant earth vacation," the green one said. His optics quickly glanced down at us humans - Abby and the others managed to gather around us, giving Cade and the others strange looks. The green one quickly pulled out a gun and aimed it at us. "So who's the stowaways?"
The respective Autobots quickly stepped forward, putting their two cents in for the green one aiming his gun at us. Cade put his arms up, trying not to look intimidated by the large barrel in his face.
The heavier one took out a machine gun and aimed it at us, as well.
"Enough, Hound - both of you." Optimus's voice was sharp. They both lowered their guns, surprised by Optimus's sharp tone and the various Autobots who took offense to it, as well. "One of those humans is my Sparkmate. They all risked their lives for mine. We owe them."
By the time the sun went down, we had a campfire going while the Autobots got themselves caught up. I found out the names of the three new Autobots by Ratchet, who activated the Holoform to check my injuries.
Cade and the others were genuinely surprised by Ratchet's sudden change from alien robot to human holographic projection, but he simply ignored their shock. Rosalyn told me about how they had a close encounter with Cemetery Wind, that they hid inside an old boat and almost got killed if it wasn't for Ratchet's quick thinking. Blossom, Abby, even Mya, told me their stories of survival with their respective Autobot.
"What about you?" Abby asked, cradling Athena and Alec on her lap.
"Well, after we left Mexico City, we had an encounter with some Cemetery Wind agents." I winced when Ratchet put some of the medication on the wounds. "Optimus managed to get the agents out of the way, but he got hurt by Lockdown. A Cemetery agent shot me twice in the shoulder, too. I had to drive us up to the States and made it to Texas in one piece."
"Is that where you met them?" Blossom asked.
I nodded. "They helped fix Optimus." As our conversation slowly died off, we started paying attention to what the Autobots were discussing.
"We are all that is left," Drift, the blue one, said.
"They're picking us off one by one," Crosshairs said angrily.
"We're a pathetic, little group," Sideswipe said. "And you make the leader."
"So that's our best case scenario?" Shane asked. "Autobot witness protection?"
"Hey, Speed Racer, you're welcome to leave anytime," Cade said.
"Well, for the record, super dad," Shane said in retaliation, "I'm not hiding with you. I'm hiding out with that big guy." He pointed to Optimus.
"Hey," I snapped. They looked at me. "Just shut up, both of you. Now is not the time to bicker. We've all had a rough few days, I get it. Doesn't mean you have to fight all the time."
"If you think you've had it bad, these past few days, try doing this for five years," Abby said. "You honestly have no idea what we've been through."
That shut them up.
Right after our little dispute, Bee and Drift got into a confrontation, which resulted in Drift holding his blades to Bee's throat.
"I've been waiting for them all to dispatch each other," Crosshairs said with a twisted smile. "So I can take charge with no trouble at all! Just me reporting to me."
When their fighting broke out, we all abruptly stood up, not expecting the tensions to go that far. Abby looked horrified that Bee was in a position like that.
Cade turned to Optimus. "Sure looks like you've been missed," he said sarcastically.
"Autobots, Lockdown is hunting us," Optimus said, trying to ease the violent tension. "And humans are helping. We need to know why."
"Listen, I don't know why," Cade began, earning all the Autobots to look at him, "but I have an idea on who."
Drift had let Bee go, transforming into a car - I'm guessing he has the ability to transform into more than one vehicle - and let Cade use him to demonstrate what he'd found. Using the drone, he was able to find those recorded tapes of the fallen Autobots before they were killed, their last fighting moments.
Cade had the driver's side window rolled down, Drift managing to enhance the size of the videos and projecting them on the side of a rocky cliff.
"They recorded footage of an Autobot raid," Cade said. It showed footage of Arcee being taken down. It was hard to watch. The Autobots were taking it the hardest. "Watch what happens here."
Optimus was sitting on a large rock, watching it all solemnly. The others stood around, watching. An eerie silence hung in the air. The infamous missile that's always launched hit Arcee, knocking her over onto her side. Next came the footage of Leadfoot, desperately trying to defend himself.
"Oh, that's Leadfoot," Hound muttered.
Optimus looked away.
"They rip them apart," Cade explained.
"Savages," Hound said.
"This truck comes and hauls 'em off." The footage came to an end. Cade kept explaining. "KSI. Defense, aerospace, government contracts...and they designed this drone."
"So these guys hunt you down and pass you off to this KSI?" Shane asked.
I looked at the Autobots. They looked broken, helpless. Hopeless. Ironhide's injury looked better than last time I saw him, but he still looked a little bad. Mya sat near him. The weapon specialist's facial plates had been turned up in disgust at what Cade had shown all of us. Bee looked disappointed. Sideswipe looked expressionless. They looked completely hopeless.
"The company's headquarters in Chicago could be where they're taken," Cade said.
I shook my head. "Why Chicago?" I sighed. Shane and Tessa gave me a strange look but didn't say anything.
"No way to get inside without a battle," Hound said, taking his cigar out and blowing out smoke.
"Well? What if you had some human help?" Cade suggested.
"What are you two, partners now?" Tessa challenged.
"Sweetie, we're targets now, too, and we need to know why. Or we'll never get our lives back."
"Autobots, I have sworn to never kill humans," Optimus said in a low voice.
"Big mistake," Ironhide muttered.
"But when I find out who's behind this, he's going to die."