Saphira had not noticed she had drifted off to sleep. It wasn't until Bee woke her up she had realized she had fallen asleep. She did not know what time she fell asleep, but she saw it was nearly six in the morning, the sky was still dim as the sun was slowly rising and Saphira realized she was still wearing the same outfit from the day before. She felt the need to get cleaned up, but she would have to wait. She saw Bee arriving at a cemetery, which was a surprise to her.
"Why are we here?" Saphira asked as she glanced around. "This does not seem like the place to talk about something important."
"We had to in order to talk with you," Bee responded through the radio.
She blinked in surprise. "Let me guess, Lennox doesn't know you're here." She felt herself nearly hitch her breath when she saw Optimus waiting patiently. "Oh, I see. Something must have happened."
Bee said nothing as he came to a stop. Saphira sighed deeply, she didn't know if she wanted to know whatever news they had or not, but she stepped out of the Camaro anyway. She didn't bother putting her heels back on, she walked around Bee barefoot and Optimus seemed to raise an eyebrow slightly when she approached him.
"A few days before college, and you show up," Saphira said in an irritated voice. "You couldn't even give me my first week of college to come and see me. This is not what we agreed to Optimus."
"I am sorry, Saphira," Optimus responded gently, dropping to one knee to gaze at her more closely. "We had to come because it is necessary. The last fragment of the All Spark was stolen."
Saphira widened her eyes in surprise at that news. "Oh, really? Did the decepticons steal it or something?" Optimus nodded slowly. "Huh, I guess the new containment facility the government locked it in wasn't as good as they thought it was."
"It seems so. We placed it under human protection at your government's request," Optimus explained softly as Saphira rested against a stone pillar. "However, I am here for your help, Saphira."
"Me? My help?" Saphira was really taken aback by this and sighed deeply. "Optimus, I am not sure what help I can be."
Optimus exhaled gently through his vents, he understood her reluctance. "It is because your leaders believe we brought vengeance upon your planet. Perhaps they are right." He turned his gaze away from Saphira briefly as he spoke before looking back at her. "That is why they must be reminded by another human being of the trust we share."
Saphira shakes her head slightly at him. "I am not sure how much help I can be, Optimus. I am a college kid, and most people don't take someone as young as I am seriously. And…this isn't my war. I never asked to be in one previously, I don't want to be in another."
"I understand you are afraid of war, you went through something someone as young as you should not have," Optimus said in a sincere, understanding tone. "I do not blame you for wanting a peaceful life. However, understand that the war against us now is a war against you. All humans on this planet are at war with the decepticons now."
"And how am I supposed to help exactly?" Saphira asked curiously.
"Your world must not share the same fate as Cybertron, we received a warning from a decepticon on a more recent raid regarding the Fallen rising again," Optimus explained. There it is again about the Fallen. "It seems Barricade's words are coming to pass. I cannot help but wonder what more he knows."
"He said there is a second shard somewhere…" Saphira froze as soon as those words left her mouth. Optimus narrowed his eyes as he heard her and looked at her curiously. "Shit…um…Barricade did pay a visit the day before I flew here to Princeton."
"And he mentioned another shard of the Cube to you?" Optimus asked curiously. "Do the decepticons have it?" She shakes her head. "Hmm…they must be searching for it. They have one piece, now there is a second."
"Barricade told me the second shard will be used for something. To bring out a map to find another energon source on this planet." The commander was surprised to hear that, and his frown deepens. "They plan on using a human to extract that information, apparently it is easier."
He huffed loudly and shakes his head. "It would result in that human dying. That means we need to find this shard. However…the shard that was stolen was on the ground by Megatron's body. Could the shard have fallen on your ruined clothes?"
"Um, I didn't find anything," Saphira responded reluctantly. She wanted to admit that she had the shard, but she was too nervous to. "I checked the old clothes I had worn that day and nothing was on them. I threw them away before I came here. I am afraid I am not helpful to you."
"Of course you are, Lennox himself feels it is wrong the government is not trusting us like they should as well. He doesn't know I am here…but we do need your help." Optimus seemed to be begging for help at the moment. "I am sorry it is right when college is starting."
She glanced away from him with a frown. She wanted to help, but she didn't know what she could do. "I want to help, I really do. But I am not some alien ambassador. I am a normal kid with normal problems…or semi-normal problems. And because I am a kid, the government won't take my word for it."
"And yet, you were the one we trusted first in saving the planet," Optimus argued gently with a smile. "I am sure they would listen to you."
"If only it were simple. I am sorry…" Saphira sighed and stepped back from him. "I am where I am supposed to be. Surely, this is something you can handle without me. I might have the weapon Ironhide gave me, but I am one human. One!"
"A single voice can be all that is needed, Saphira. You do not know what will happen unless you try. However…we are here because we detected Grindor on the move, he's heading North at the moment." Optimus glanced upward, as if expecting to see the decepticon. "It seems he might be heading this way."
"Oh, is that so?" Saphira did not seem concerned by that though. She doubted the bot would come to her. "I am sorry, Optimus. I cannot help you. I just want to go to college and have some kind of normal life. I am sorry the shard was stolen, and I will let you know if I find the second shard…but…"
"Saphira, fate rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing," Optimus interrupts gently as he slowly stood up as Saphira turned away to walk back to Bee. "This is one of those times."
"You don't need me, Optimus. Maybe when I have my degree, they will finally listen, but that won't be for a few more years." Saphira looked away from him sadly.
She did manage to overhear him before she stepped into the car. "We do…I do…more than you will ever know."
Saphira shut the door with a sigh and felt tears falling from her eyes. She wipes them away. "Take me back to the campus, please. I need to get myself ready for the lessons."
Bee said nothing as he drives out of the cemetery to take Saphira back to the university. She felt incredibly guilty about rejecting Optimus. Especially when she overheard him saying he really does need her. It definitely came across more than just a friendly comment. She had felt butterflies when she had heard it, it had made her feel even more guilty. She knew she should help, but she also felt it was a war she didn't want to be caught up in.
But the symbols in her head is what the decepticons are after. She doubted the decepticons know it. She had to figure out how to give the information to Optimus without revealing they were after her for that reason. Though…with a decepticon potentially heading her way, she could not help but wonder if that little bot had gotten a message through to them about it. She would find that out a bit later when she goes to the garage to go out to the race meet tonight.
"Do you guys really need my help?" Saphira asked curiously, glancing at the dash in front of her thoughtfully. "I get that you want to get someone else to help you with the government, but I am not a soldier. I am not trained to fight."
"A warrior is more than just a trained soldier," Bee responded through the radio. "You will find your courage."
"In other words, you do need my help. What exactly can someone like me do?" Saphira looked out the window with a sigh. "Honestly…I want to help, I just don't think I am able to help very well."
Bee did not respond. He guessed Saphira's mind was made up. She was saddened by all of this. She wanted to help, but she felt she was not capable of helping right now. She just wanted to get started on her college studies without an incident, however…she could not shake the feeling that is exactly what was going to happen.
Bee stops at the university entrance. Saphira moved to get out when he spoke through the radio again. "Remember, you are the most important person to me on this planet. I will be here for you. We all love you."
Saphira felt tears in her eyes at that and smiled at him. "Thanks Bee. I hope…I hope you can manage without me. I am really sorry. I guess…I will see you at Christmas."
She stepped back from the car and watched the Camaro drive away. She gave a little wave before she heads to her room. She was not looking forward to seeing Sophia. Though, when she got to her room, she could hear Sophia sleeping in her bed. That was good. Saphira grabbed a one shoulder t-shirt and a pair of jeans before heading to the bathroom to shower and wash off the makeup. Once she was freshened up, she went to the dining hall to get breakfast. She wanted to get herself fed before she goes to the garage to work on her cars before the race meet that night.
She left the campus with no issue and caught a taxi to her garage, she hummed to herself as she thought about what to do. She walked into the garage once she was dropped off and grabbed the metal box with the tiny bot and slammed it onto a table. She grabbed out a blowtorch and turned it on before opening the box, pulling the bot out with the chain around its neck.
"Ay, ay, ay!" The bot covered it's face when it saw the blow torch. "Easy there, warrior goddess. Please don't hurt me! I promise I won't do anything bad, just please, don't put me back in that box! I'm claustrophobic!"
"Are you going to start talking?" Saphira asked bluntly as she glared at it. "The shard that was locked up by the military was stolen recently. What do the decepticons intend to do with it?"
The bot was shocked when Saphira told it. "Oh, that means Megatron will be revived. He might be missing parts, but that shard can restart his spark. He will be back, back with a vengeance."
"And who is this Fallen?" Saphira demanded, moving the torch closer to him.
"Please, please!" The bot grimaced, trying to keep his face away from the torch. "Listen, the Fallen is a very old, powerful guy. That is much as I know. I was brought here sometime ago to be a little spy for the decepticons. I was good at my job, until you put me away. Anyway, you touched that shard, right? That means, Megatron will come after you."
"Nobody knows I touched it," She said bluntly with a frown. "Nobody knows of the information I have."
"Oh, that might be where you are wrong. You see, Soundwave probably knew you touched it and alerted the other bots. He's a pretty good satellite above the planet right now." That wasn't good if there was a decepticon moving around the planet as a satellite. "I don't know much about the actual plan or where the energon source is. If I knew, I would tell you if it would save my skin. I'm just a scrap bot, they get rid of us when we no more use."
"I can see why. You're annoying little things." Saphira sighed deeply and rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the info, time to go back into your home for now. If I have more questions to ask, I'll pull you out for them."
"Please! I don't wanna…" The bot began before squealing when she slammed him into the box. "Let me out, please! I won't be a bother! Let me out!"
"Nice try." Saphira closed the box and ignored the muttering that was coming from inside the box.
She placed it under the desk and walked over to the Daytona and Nissan to begin some casual work on them to pass the day. She turned on some music to pass the time while she worked on the cars. She did think on the words Optimus said to her that morning. It was true that fate calls upon people when they least expect it, she didn't know if this was just one of those times. Besides, Saphira really could not see how she could help. Even if she did not have the information absorbed in her mind, she would be of no use. At least that is how she was feeling.
By the afternoon, she began to work on the Eldorado by using a tool to remove the engine from the hood. She lifted the heavy engine out and laid it on a towel to inspect it closer in case there were parts good enough to keep and save money. There was not a great lot. The fuel line needed a good clean out as well, and a lot of the joints on the underside of the car needed replacing. It was going to a long project. She rolled the car onto the lift so it would not be on the ground. She wrote a list of all the parts she needed for the car. She did decide she wouldn't alter the car's outward appearance much, she loved the classic appearance so it would keep the classic appearance. The only thing she might change was the hood design, but she would decide on that one later.
Once that was done, she slowly took apart the engine, she cleaned every part of it and inspected it more closely. A lot of parts were easy to be thrown away, but some parts were not too bad. Although, as she was going to get an entirely new engine put into the car, those parts would only be useful as spares. And that is what she did. While she worked on taking the engine apart, she heard her phone going off. She sighed and stood up from the floor, turned down the music and grabbed her phone. She smiled when she saw it was Nicholae ringing.
She answered the phone happily. "Hello Nicholae, you just caught me pulling apart this ancient engine from my new Eldorado," Saphira said to him happily. "Which raceway are you heading to tonight?"
"Ooohhh, you got one huh?" The man chuckled gently on the other end of the phone. "Alright, so there is a very big meet happening in Trenton tonight. A mix of drift, sprints and circuits are on tonight, starting at five sharp. Bring the car that suits all of that because we are in for a big one."
"Really? How many people are we talking?" Saphira asked curiously.
"At least a few thousand, plus there are so many racers tonight and huge prize money. Tonight is going to be a good night." Nicholae sounded so excited about it. "I'll send you the address for the raceway. I'd say tonight might be a good chance to do some pink slips."
Saphira chuckled softly. "That depends on the competition. I never do those unless I know I will win." She glanced at the Dayton and Nissan as she thought on which car to take. "I guess I'll be using my Nissan tonight…" She glanced at the time and gasped loudly. "You should have called me earlier, too. It is two thirty! That means I will be late."
"No worries, I'll make sure there will be a spot for you," Nicholae promises. "Just be there tonight. And no sudden headaches tonight."
"I promise." Saphira grinned as she walked to her room. "Now I need to get ready. I'll see you in a few hours. I'll probably tackle the circuits tonight, the Nissan's not the best for sprints."
"Sounds great. See you soon!"
Saphira hangs up and excitedly gets into the shower to freshen up, shave and get herself ready for the night. After she showered, she picked out a cute, but sexy rose red, off shoulder, ruched bodycon dress with long sleeves and diamantes all over the fabric. It is a very short dress too and she wore tan stockings and red heels. While applying makeup, she blinked as the symbols come back to her mind. She was about to apply her lipstick when that happened and she felt her body jerking and didn't realize she began to write the symbols on the mirror with the lipstick. She didn't even realize it until her blurry vision finally settles and she saw the glossy, red, lipstick symbols on the mirror. She cursed as her hand was red as well. She threw the lipstick out, wash her hands and grabbed multiple clothes to wash the mirror.
She did not intend to draw on the mirror. She knew lipstick can really get stuck if she did not clean it up. She wanted to ensure it was clean before she left. It took her longer than she would like though. She cursed herself for drawing the symbols on the mirror. She did manage to get the mirror completely cleaned up though and used a new lipstick to apply to her lips instead. She stared at herself in the mirror, she looked beautiful and she loved it, but that gnarling feeling of guilt was still there. She should call Bumblebee and let him know about the shard she had. She shakes her head, deciding she would do that another day and grabbed her keys to head out, she had a big race meet to get to tonight.
