Hey folks! Hope I haven't kept you waiting for long! Thought I would add this chappy in while I'm on a little vacation :)
FORD B: My hope is to always keep my readers coming back ;)
And ONTO THE CHAPTER!
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Rotten growled, furiously. His head lowered, his hind end reared up while his nubby tail was still as stone. He took a step ahead of Cat, who was also stanced for a battle as she stared into the eyes of the four men. She thought it was odd, that they were dressed in black with the exception that they did not care to cover their faces. She registered each face as she conjured up an assault plan to immobilize each one, and if she had to, kill them all. Her breaths were slow and shallow, her eye analyzed who to attack first and what move would disable each one. Her heart began to pound in her chest as its beats were slowed. She could hear nothing but the bass drum her heart had turned into. She crouched, slightly, as her lip flared into a warriors growl. As her battle plan came together, a familiar voice broke the silence.
"Whoa, whoa! Guys! I told you to wait for me!" the form of Captain Lennox appeared in the doorway as he put himself between his men and the war-torn warrior.
Rotten brought himself up from his stance and happily tottered to the door, barking excitedly. Cat picked up her eyes with a slight sigh of relief. This must have been Lennox's new recruits.
"Cat!" Lennox waved, "Just the gal we were hoping to find!"
"You need to be a little more careful. Your guys almost ended up as Rottens' new chew toys," she walked to the door, slowly, still a little uncertain of the situation.
"Sorry," the captain apologized, "I've been telling them all about you and they were kind of excited to meet you."
Cat looked to each one of their faces as she approached the storm door. They stared at her with, what she could see as, contempt and fear. She wouldn't have agreed with her friend that these men were 'excited' about meeting her. She cautioned herself around them as she walked out of the door. Rotten squeezed himself between her legs and the door and stayed in front of her, appearing to notice her caution towards them and staying on guard as well.
"What brings you all the way to Tranquility?" Cat asked her friend.
"My guys and I were at a training facility, nearby. We're getting ready to get shipped overseas again, and since we're on a little bit of a furlough, I thought I'd bring them to meet the great, Cat herself," Lennox replied.
Cat just stared at Lennox. She hoped that he wasn't thick enough to believe she was absorbing his lie without her noticing. But she decided to play along to see where this was going. Even though she didn't trust his words, she trusted Lennox, and didn't think, for a second, that he would deceive her unless it were for a good reason.
Before Cat could say another word, the sudden image of Bumblebee's hologram appeared behind the group of men.
"Cat!" Bee yelled, appearing to let her know that he was near before noticing Lennox was among the group.
"Bee!" The captain thrust himself from the group towards the hologram, knowing that if the mech felt as though there were some danger his alien form would be close, "Hey buddy!"
"Captain?" Bee relaxed as well.
"Yeah! Yeah, we're just here to see Cat. Sorry for giving you guys a scare!" he smiled, trying to bring down the tension.
"Why would you not, at least, give us some forewarning that you were coming?" Bee asked, "You know the circumstances of why Cat is here," he seemed to be just as confused as Cat was.
Lennox looked down the driveway and saw two, new boys, along with Sam and Mikaela running up the driveway behind them. Bee's Camaro form pulled into the driveway behind the kids. He looked back and forth between Bumblebee's hologram and Cat and asked, "Can we come in for a minute?"
Bee and Cat looked to each other, appearing to read each others' thoughts. Both of them were concerned and distrusting to what was going on, but Cat gave a nod as she opened the door, "Sure thing.. Come on in."
Sitting around the dining room table, Cat sat across from Lennox and his crew. Sam and Mikaela at once side of her, Bee standing behind the group of men, Evan and Josh were listening from the living room.
"So what's going on, man?" Sam asked.
"Well," Lennox put both hands on the table, "We were supposed to get shipped out, not too long ago. But they keep delaying it. We've been transferred out here, at least for this week. Next week is, supposedly, the week we're supposed to be going back overseas, but who knows?"
Cat looked down at the table. She'd always wondered why men and women would, willfully, give their whole lives to the same government who, for years, tortured herself and many others. But she understood the order concerning national welfare and those who defended the freedoms regular civilians, like Sam and Mikaela, enjoyed.
"Must be tough," Cat spoke as she smiled faintly, "Being away from the family and all."
"Oh yeah," Lennox lowered his head and sighed, "But it's for the nation. And we'd all give our lives for that."
Cat nodded slowly. She didn't like it, but she wasn't about to argue with Lennox about it.
"But the reason why we're here is because of you, lady," Lennox smirked.
Cat looked up to Bee, who was just as confused as she was, "Oh?" she looked back to the captain.
"I hear you've celebrated a milestone, here recently. I was never made aware of it," he smiled.
"Milestone?" Cat was even more confused now.
"Miss Twenty-one-year-old never said how old she was!" he laughed a little.
"Oh. Right. Well that's how old they said I am. But who knows? I could be older or younger," Cat crossed her arms and thought aloud.
"She's always been told how old she was, but no one can really verify her actual birthday. The only person who could shed some light on that fact is dead," Mikaela revealed.
"While that being a fact; you are, officially, of legal age," Lennox said proudly.
"Legal for what, exactly?" Cat asked.
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"You call us if you need a ride!" Judy yelled out as Cat jumped into Lennox's SUV, "It doesn't matter what time it is! No drunk driving!"
"Don't worry Mrs. Witwicky! We'll take good care of her!" Lennox yelled out as his men piled into the truck.
"The same goes for you! I won't have you driving around all liquored up!" She shook her 'mother' pointing finger at the group.
"Will you let them be?!" Ron was irritated.
The SUV took off out of the driveway, leaving the family behind for the evening as the sun set over the hills of the city.
"So being twenty-one gets you the ability to drink alcohol?" Cat asked, still confused about the law.
"Well... legally anyway," Lennox replied, "Drinking is a big deal. People can, easily, over drink and do dumb things while intoxicated. But it's still sort of a tradition to take someone who's reached the legal age out to try their first taste."
"Or to get hammered," one of the men in the back spoke up, finally. Cat was unsure of what their presence meant, but maybe they just needed a little relaxing, themselves. She left it at that and trusted Lennox not to get her into any trouble with them.
In the very middle of downtown Tranquility, Lennox finds a bar.
"Sway's?" Cat stared into the colorful lighting of the bright letters. The building looked small, smashed in between two restaurants and a whole strip of bars in the area.
"This is just the start to the night!" Lennox gave a stern pat to her back as he led her into the bar.
"First round is on me!" Lennox gave Cat and the guys a raise of his glass as the bartender passes out a round of screwdrivers.
"This is your basic hard liquor drink, Cat. We're all going to take a sip with you," Lennox smiled as he watched Cat smell the drink first.
"This just smells like orange juice.." Cat raised an eyebrow.
"Ready to try it?" he egged her on.
Cat looked to him and shrugged her shoulders, "Guess so.."
"All right, boys! Let's give our lady a raise of our glasses!" The group raised their glasses. Cat noticed that they all glanced towards her, as if they were waiting, impatiently. She raised her glass, about halfway up, not sure what sort of tradition this was supposed to be, but she followed along anyway.
The men, slowly, clinked their glasses together, hoping that Cat would follow suit, which she did. They all sucked down their beers and hard liquor drinks as Cat slowly took a sip of her own to taste it out. She took her sip and stopped as she allowed the flavors to fill her senses. Sweetness from the orange juice and... Woo! Cat's eyes watered as the taste of of Vodka stung her throat as it traveled down her gullet. Lennox flinched as he noticed the face Cat made while the concoction penetrated her senses.
"Well?" he asked.
Cat grit her teeth, sucked in a breath of air and made a slight growly noise as she soaked in the flavors. It was disgusting! It was too sweet! It was too strong!... But she wanted to drink the rest of it anyway.
The girl swirled the glass before knocking back the remaining liquid, "Whoa.." she cringed but slammed the glass down and threw her hands up in victory, "Woo!"
The boys all smiled and nodded their heads.
The night had begun.
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"You think it was a good idea for Cat to go out drinking?" Mikaela wondered aloud.
"Yeah!" Sam wasn't really sure himself, but he wanted to sound sure of himself to Mikaela, since she was just as worried as he was.
Mikaela looked at him with a 'Seriously?' look on her face.
"Yeah, I mean, come on! We all go through that, at some point, right? It's a right of passage for someone her age! Kids, our age, in other countries get to do it, why not Cat? Why not now?" Sam tried to make a good reason for it, but knew that Mikaela wasn't buying it.
"Yeah... I guess so," she appreciated the effort, but she still wasn't convinced.
"And, I mean... She's with Lennox... He's not going to let it go too far," Sam was reaching, at this point.
"Doesn't seem strange?" Mikaela finally broke the silence on the issue, "Almost three, full months, after her birthday they suddenly show up to celebrate with her?"
"..Yeah.. I don't know what's going on there," Sam admitted it as well. He didn't know what to think about it.
"It just feels like there's..." Mikaela couldn't quite think of the words.
"There's some reason they're here that they aren't talking about," Sam agreed.
"Yes! Right!..." Mikaela nodded, "Just wish I knew what it was..."
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It was two in the morning. The group had traveled to every single bar in the downtown Tranquility area. Lennox had quit drinking hours ago, since he was the one driving. The rest of his men were falling over themselves as they played drunkard pool, and Cat...
Audience: "GO! GO! GO! GO! GO!"
Cat was upsidedown, holding herself up on a keg as the last of cold beer was funneled into her mouth and down her throat. She sucked down the last ounce as a round of applause and praise was shouted out. Lennox shook his head with a smile as he emptied the last of his cash out of his wallet to the bartender. He vowed, never again, to volunteer to be the buyer of drinks for her again.
Cat barely swung herself down safely off of the keg as her legs gave out beneath her. The few members of the small crowd grabbed the girl and pulled her up on a nearby bar stool. Lennox grabbed her shoulders to balance her before she began to fall off of the stool. She was all smiles at this point.
"Man!.. Why did.. you never said this was like... fun!" Cat fumbled over her wording.
"Yeah, fun!" Lennox was still feeling the shame of his empty wallet as he tried to keep his friend stable.
Last call was made, and the remaining bar patrons packed through the doors, like sardines, leaving the small group of marines and Cat alone in the bar together.
"Oh man, I can't take you home like this.." Lennox looked over Cat with remorse. He could already hear the Witwicky's words and feel their icy cold stares.
"Naw!" Cat laughed, "I'm good!"
The bartender, luckily enough, offered Cat up a pitcher of cold water, "You're going to want to drink as much of this as you can," he instructed.
"I'm not thirsty!" Cat proudly proclaimed.
"Just do it!" Lennox shoved the pitcher towards her and thanked the bartender.
Cat giggled as she took hold of the pitcher and made a few gulps.
"I didn't think you'd open up and have as much fun as you did but, you really shocked me," Lennox smiled, "I think you like people more than you admit to."
Cat put the pitcher down and replied, "Maybe I just have to be drunk before I can enjoy the company of other people!"
Lennox nodded, "Maybe."
Cat took another gulp of water, finishing off half of the pitcher and then her eyes went straight to her friend, "So what are you getting at?"
Lennox looked to her and asked, "Getting at what?"
One of the men in Lennoxs' group barely made it to the bar as he sat to the other side of Cat, "Just tell her! Tell her, Cap!"
Lennox looked to the other three men as they stood over the pool table, holding their sticks and halting their game.
Cat didn't look back to them, once. Her blurred gaze was fixated on her friend, and what it was that he wanted from her.
Lennox looked to Cat and sighed. He brought his hands up to the bar counter and swirled over his thoughts for a moment, thinking of how he was going to put this.
"I wanted to take you out for a little fun, because I knew that you needed it. But I also wanted to ask you something.."
Cat shook her head, "I knew it.. Okay Len," she said, in her drunken state forgetting that he'd had a first name to begin with.
"Well, here it goes," he started, "As you know, my men and I are not going back overseas just to serve as we had the first time. This time we'll be going back as a reconnaissance team to search for Decepticon activity and try to eliminate them as a threat to the nation, and most of all, the world."
Cat nodded. It only made sense. The Autobots had taught Lennox and the American army everything they needed to know about their race. And everything they needed to know about how to disarm them. Cat had warned Optimus that letting them in, too far, would be a mistake. However Optimus chose to trust the humans. He insisted that by doing so, he was showing them his own trust. This way the Autobots could build a strong foundation between themselves and the American government.
"The Autobots want to join us later, but they have some of their own things to do here. They feel the threat of Decepticons could be far more dangerous within our own borders. Which the government agrees. They don't want the threat here, anymore than the Autobots," he continued.
Cat nod again, almost unsure how long it would be before she couldn't understand what he was saying, as her drunken stupor began to take hold.
"We might do okay, on our own but..." Lennox looked to the girl, "it would be nice if... we had someone with experience and the knowledge... to take with us.."
Cat may have started to drift off into "la-la land" but she wasn't stupid.
"Ah.." Cat rounded on her stool and stepped off, barely holding herself up as her legs begged to give out. She turned and pointed towards Lennox accusingly, "You want... You want me to be your 'Decepticon sniffing' tool..."
"No, that's not what I want," Lennox stood up as he tried to reason with her, "You have more knowledge on the Autobots and Decepticons than anyone else on Earth. The Autobots won't help us, at the moment, but you... you have no reason to stay here with them. You could fight the Decepticons with us!"
Cat shook her head as she tripped over herself and managed to catch herself on a nearby table before she fell, "No..."
The four men of Lennox's team griped and threw down the pool sticks.
"Cat," Lennox approached her and tried to help her up, but she pulled away from his grasp and turned her back on him.
"I'm not one of you.." Cat shook her head.
"I'm not asking you to be!" he replied.
"You're asking me... for... my semblance into your army... I'm just a thing..."
"No you're not!" Lennox shook his head.
"What do you call it?!" she yelled.
Lennox was befuddled, but he immediately came back with a response, "I call it help."
Cat laughed a drunken laugh, "Help.. you're funny.."
"You know why?" Lennox asked, Cat looking into his face, "Because I'm not thinking of the missions. I'm not thinking that you're a tool to use... I'm thinking about my family.. and theirs," he pointed to his men as they gazed to Cat, "I want to go home to my family. The army wants us to hunt down giant robots from outer space. We're humans! We still have limited abilities to do all of this with! And the Autobots won't budge right now! You are amazing. You have gifts that-"
"I NEVER ASKED FOR THIS!" Cat screeched.
"I never... asked... for this life..." her eyes watered as she barely remained cognitive of what she was saying, "If I could give all of this," she looked her to metal arm, as well as pointing to her bionic eye, "If I could give it all up... to someone... someone that wanted this... But I can't..."
Lennox was about to give in, but he had given up a lot of time and thought (and quite frankly most of his paycheck) into this idea. He gave it one last go, "I know what you've gone through, " Cat turned to glare at him, "I've seen the damage they've inflicted on you through the years. This has been the first year of your life where you have been able to take freedom by the horns and live the life you were meant to live... I'm not asking that you give that freedom up.. I'm asking that you give freedom to the rest of the planet. I'm asking that you give freedom to those who have suffered, and are suffering at the grips of the Decepticons, and anyone who tries possessing other living beings for their own greed... I'm not asking you to become a drone of the army... I'm asking that you join our team.."
"..Team?" Cat softened her glare.
The other men, though a bit on a sauced side, formed a circle around Cat with Lennox.
"We protect each other. We have each others' backs... We're brothers and sisters.. We're only asking that you, temporarily, join our family and lend us your strength; as we lend you all of ours," Lennox finished.
Cat was dazed. She only looked to the faces of the men, whom she now saw in a different light. They didn't despise her, or fear her. They were scared... Scared that she would say 'no' which would leave them feeling defenseless.. "What do you mean by 'temporary'?"
"I've already talked to the President about this. He agrees, that you must choose this of your own freedom, and that you won't be signing any contracts or making any commitments... You would just be an 'advisor' to our team, by technicality. Meaning if you join, you have no obligation to see our mission to the end, if it so suits you.." Lennox advised.
Cat sat herself down at the table she nearly fell against and thought for a moment. The tension in the room was as a thick fog. The bartenders' eyes darted back and forth, wondering what the hell was going on in front of him.
"No..." Cat shook her head.
"But... why?" Lennoxs' spirit was shattered. He'd really thought he had gotten through to her.
"I have no doubt that I am needed, alongside with the Autobots, in an effort to wipe out the Decepticons.. But.. Like them, I have too much to do here, right now."
"If you're worried about Sam and Mikaela -" Lennox was about to ensure before being interrupted.
"I'm not worried about them. I'm not worried about the kids, the Autobots, or even Sams' parents.. I'm worried about me.." Cat admitted.
Lennox sighed, "Your Allspark pulse.."
"That's part of it, yes... But, as I've discovered, it goes far beyond that.. Just as you guys arrived, I had found a piece of the puzzle I am trying to put together.. If I can do that, I can control the pulse, and even the abilities to speak with the Allspark and my sister..."
Cat's head sunk. She was beginning to feel the alcohol take her.
"I can't... discuss anymore..." Cat admitted.
Lennox walked to his friend and put a reassuring had to her back, "Let's get you home.."
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Although Evan had tried to talk himself into believing he had wanted nothing to do with her, he laid in his make-shift bed and worried. He had overheard Sam and Mikeala discussing Cat, and was going back and forth in his own mind what could be going on.
Earlier..
Mikaela giggled a little to herself.
"What's so funny?" Sam asked, a smile cracking at the corner of his mouth.
"I'm just... thinking of something stupid.." Mikaela quieted her laughter.
"Can you tell me?" Sam asked.
"Well it's... it's just.. What if Lennox was sent to take Cat away?" she asked.
"Take her away?" Sam didn't find anything funny about this thought, "Why would he do that?"
"Like, what if he were ordered to take Cat back into custody... What if Sector Eleven managed to work their way back into the government as a different agency, and they talked Keller into using her? Or what if the Decepticons are up to something and they're using Lennox, somehow?" Mikaela blathered on.
Sam was suddenly startled by the heaviness of what Mikaela was asking..
"But it's stupid, right? I mean, Keller made a promise, and Lennox would never work for the Decepticons, even if it meant his own life.. right?" Mikaela asked.
"Yeah... yeah!" Sam gave a curt laugh, "Yeah that's... that's stupid..."
End Flashback
Evan was scared that what Bumblebee had told him was more than true. That Cat, as special as she was, could be used as a weapon against the world.
As the boy laid in silence, he suddenly heard the crack of the front door open and a huge 'THUD'.. He shot up in his bed and scrambled to his feet, shuffling to the stairs with a quickened pace. As he stopped at the top of the stairs, he saw the form of Cat, laying in a pile at the foot of the stairs, the front door wide open. His heart raced. Was she dead? Was she injured? Evan practically jumped down the staircase, ready to yell for help as he slipped his arms under Cats' shoulders and brought her up to a sitting position.
"Hey!" Cat yelled, "Stop spinning, room! We.. we had this talk like... an hour ago!"
Relief... She was only drunk.
"Shhh," Evan tried to quiet the girl, "You'll wake everyone up," he whispered.
"Ohhhh, right," Cat brought a finger up over her lips, "Shhhh..shhh.. we don't want to... wake em up.."
"I think you need a cold washcloth and to lay down now..." Evan reached up and closed the front door, then picked Cat up from under her arms and locking his around her torso, preparing to help her up the stairs.
"You're so niiiiice," Cat said in a hushed voice as she smiled to the boy.
"Yeah, well you need a little help, right now.." Evan whispered back.
He started up the staircase with the sloshed warrior, waiting for her to take one step after the next to allow her to carry most of her weight on her own. He certainly didn't want her to yell that he was kidnapping her... again...
Cat reached up, with her human hand, and grabbed the boys' arms, holding onto him to steady herself. It was a much longer haul than Evan had anticipated it to be as her legs started giving out halfway up. He stopped and whispered to her, "I need to pick you up and carry you... Is that okay?"
Cat looked back to Evan, a bit taken aback. Her blue and yellow eyes fixated on his brown ones, as if she were studying him very carefully. She gave a small nod, in response to his question.
Evan removed an arm from her torso and slipped it behind her knees as he swept her into his arms and continued his trek up the stairs. To his surprise, Cat put her arms around his neck, gently, as she tried to balance herself in his arms. She watched ahead of them without saying a word. Just a few seconds later, Evan had made it up the steps and tip-toed into Cats' bedroom, laying her down on the bed.
Evan left the room and returned, a moment later, with a cold wash cloth, handing it to her; bringing her little waste basket closer to her bed.
"What's all this for?" Cat asked.
"The washcloth is to help sober you up and keep you cooled down, and the waste basket is for... when you have to puke.." Evan grimaced.
"Puke?" Cat looked to the boy.
"Just lay down and put the washcloth on your head," he ordered.
Cat laid down and put the washcloth on top of her head, instead of her forehead.
"No," Evan laughed as he leaned over her and replaced the cloth on her forehead, "Like this."
As he leaned over her, she grabbed him by the front of his pajama shirt and pulled him on top of her. He was surprised, although he knew he shouldn't have been, at how strong she was. She brought his nose to meet with hers. Their breaths mingled together between them as they stared into each others' eyes. Evan tried to speak, but he couldn't form the words. His mind was racing, his heart was a-flutter. He wasn't sure, exactly, what he thought of this situation.
Before he could say or do anything, her eyes closed and her lips suddenly attached to his. He was as stiff as a board with shock. Had she been hiding her feelings for him, which is why she tried to stay away, or pushed him away from her? Was it because she was drunk? Should he take advantage of her like this? He couldn't help but relax his lips and lean, a little, into the kiss. Cat released her pull on Evan as her hands traveled around to his back, pulling him a little closer to her. Their chests touched, as he felt her heart beating beneath him. Her lips were warm and soft against his. He couldn't help but allow her to lead him further into this moment as his hand dropped the washcloth and went to the side of her face, the small range in touch on his bionic skin could feel her satin-like human skin.
Cat's door suddenly flew open, revealing a tired, and grumpy Sam. Evan flew up from Cats' grasp and stared at the teen with the 'Deer in headlights' look.
"Cat I need to talk to-..." Sams' tired brain finally recognized what he had just witnessed. "-you..."
Evan stood up, not really sure what he should say at the situation he was caught in.
"Is... is she drunk?" Sam noticed Cats' state as she giggled and barely propped herself up on the bed, "Is she drunk? And you're taking advantage of her?!" Sam went into a rage.
Evan brought his hands up in defense, "No! It's not what it looks like! I brought her upstairs to her room to-"
"I see what you were trying to do!" Sam took a step forward as he yelled.
Evan took a step back, "You're not listening! Just calm down!"
"What's going on here?!" Ron grouched as he and Judy walked in behind Sam, "What's all the yelling for?!"
Judy went, immediately, to Cat as she noticed her altered state of mind, "Oh boy, Lennox really took care of you, didn't he?!"
"She was just laying there, and HE," Sam brought an accusing finger up to Evan, "was trying to... to... take advantage of her!"
Ron and Judy looked to Evan, "Is this true?" Ron asked.
"No!" Evan waved his hands in front of him as if to flag someone down, "Will you just LISTEN to me?!"
"Yeah... right after I beat the living crap out of you!" Sam lunged forward, only to be caught by the sudden form of Bumblebee whom appeared between Sam and Evan.
"Sam, what are you doing?!" Bumblebee held his charge back.
Bumblebee noticed that Cat was in her bed, but in pretty bad shape as she fought to stay in a sitting position, Judy picking up the washcloth and applying it to her forehead. He looked back to Evan, who seemed to be on edge, and Sam was ready to fight the other human boy.
"Sam, I doubt he tried anything, "Judy cut in, "she probably couldn't have gotten this cold washcloth on her own, I bet he was just trying to help."
"Then why did I see him LAYING on top of her, locking lips?!" Sam shot off.
Ron, Judy and Bumblebee looked back at Evan with a shocked glance.
Oh boy...