This chapter took me a day and a half to do. Ideas just kept popping in my head and I keep thinking. But also, how to make these stories fruitful and worth reading. I don't want people getting nothing out of my stories.

Trials, Tribulations, and Transformations

VII - Newcomers

Autobot Outpost Omega One, Jasper, Nevada - April 23rd 2011, Saturday, 2:30 pm

Of all the humans on earth, it just had to be Vince.

Today certainly wasn't a normal day for Jack and that was saying something since his entire world went upside down when he made contact with the Autobots.

And now the Leader of the Autobots have brought two new humans to the base, one of them being Vince Raider, who has a reputation for being a school bully and now it seems that he still has a special place in his heart for Jack in a way that is not healthy.

As soon as Vince laid eyes on Jack, the one whom he believed to be indirectly responsible for what happened to him today, something snapped. Almost without thinking, he rushed Jack with every intention to do him harm. An impulse which has been building from today's events that were less than pleasant for him.

But just before Vince could close the gap between himself and Jack, something stopped him: a great crash that resounded from between himself and Jack as though the floor between them exploded.

When the dust cleared, both boys saw it was a giant, dark-grey, robotic hand, said hand belonging to Optimus Prime.

Frightened, Vince looked up at Optimus and he felt his heart almost stop in his chest when he saw the Autobot leader's expression.

He was angry, very angry.

Vince wanted nothing more than to run but he knew running would be useless when faced with giant robot that could easily crush you without even trying. Vince just stood there stock still and more scared than he had ever been in a long time. He couldn't even look away from Prime's gaze.

Everyone present at the base watched this alarming event take place, with looks of shock and bewilderment. No one was used to seeing Prime act with such severity. Ratchet was no stranger to Prime's anger but even he was not immune to being a bit shaken by it, even if it was not directed at him. Even Fowler, sitting up on his gurney, took notice of this, was notably startled by this.

Upon seeing how scared Vince looked, Optimus' expression softened. Keeping his servo between the two boys, Optimus motioned for Jack, who looked quite startled by Optimus' action, to move away from Vince.

As soon as Jack did so, Optimus turned his sights back on Vince, who hadn't moved an inch from where he stood. Optimus then removed his hand from the floor, stood up, walked over to Vince, bent down on one knee and leaned towards him.

"Vince," Optimus said with gentleness. "While I understand that your ordeal today was quite traumatic for you and your friend,-"

His voice then became stern and severe.

"-that however does not give you the right to threaten or harm anyone, especially someone under my protection."

Vince gulped, averting his eyes to look at Jack, who looked quite sheepish.

Optimus seemed to know what Vince was thinking.

"Yes Vince, Jack is under my protection, as are you and everyone else in this base, humans and Autobots alike. And in order to protect you, you will have to heed what I say. Do you understand me?"

"Yes sir," Vince said almost in a whimper.

"Good. Now first of all, wanton violence in any form, for whatever reason, will not be tolerated," Optimus said.

"Uh, what does wanton mean?" Vince asked.

"It means deliberate and unprovoked," Optimus answered. "Now until we can determine the extent of your situation, I advise you to remain in the base and be on your best behavior."

"I have to stay here?!" Vince shouted.

"Only until we can determine whether it is safe for you or not to leave the base unattended. But this is not a prison Vince, you're free to leave if you wish. I won't force you to remain under my protection."

"I can leave anytime?" Vince asked with relief.

"You can but I must tell you that it is unadvisable."

"Why?" Vince asked impatiently.

"Because we must assume that you are now known to MECH and considering that you aided in foiling their capture of Agent Fowler, it stands to reason that they will undoubtably target you and those close to you," Optimus said.

Vince went pale.

"Are you saying that this rogue military group might want to kill me and my mom?" Vince whispered in growing dread.

Optimus' optics shown with pity.

"I will not lie to you Vince," Optimus said. "But I promise that I will do everything in my power to keep you and Sierra from coming to any more harm."

Vince frowned. "Yeah, good luck with-"

"Sierra?"

Optimus and Vince turned to see Jack, wide-eyed with his mouth open.

"Did you say Sierra?!" he asked, not sure if he heard right.

"I did," Optimus answered. He raised an eyebrow. "I assume you know her Jack."

"Yeah, I know her. We attend class together. Where is she? Is she ok?" Jack asked quite concerned.

"She's fine honey," Nurse Darby called out from the recreational area of the base. "She's just fainted is all. She's resting on one of the couches."

Jack rushed towards the human area, past Miko who was looking a bit stricken as she watched Jack ascend up the stairs.

Sierra Krosney, still unconscious, was lying on one of the couches, wrapped in a blanket. Nurse Darby was kneeling beside her, placing a cool wrap on her head, as Sierra appeared to be feverish.

Upon seeing Sierra in the state she was in, Jack said, "What happened?"

"Maybe you should ask the suit Darby," Vince said from the foot of the stairs.

Jack turned to Fowler, who was using a crutch to walk while his foot was healing.
"Agent Fowler?"

Fowler sighed deeply.

"It was supposed to be a simple job, it wasn't supposed to go so horribly, horribly wrong."

Those present at the base either stood or sat around Agent Fowler to hear his side of the story of what happened that brought him, Vince and Sierra here in the way it transpired. How Fowler found Vince at Milton's, the questions that were asked, the two thugs who came to abduct Fowler, how Sierra got caught up in this. The fight that ensued at Milton's, escaping in Vince's car, the destruction that was caused by MECH in the chase, and how Optimus showed up, sent MECH packing and then proceeded to introduce himself and then bring them to the base.

"Whoa," Miko said awestruck. "Vince really did all that?" She couldn't believe it.

"He did," Fowler said smiling, albeit it was a grim smile. "I speak as a first-hand witness."

Vince said nothing. He just stood at the corner of the human area with his arms crossed, frowning bitterly, not so much as looking in the others' direction.

"Obvious question," Raf said. "But why did Sierra faint?"

"That was partly my fault," Optimus said a bit sheepishly.

"You?" Arcee said disbelievingly.

"How?" Bulkhead asked, just as bewildered.

"Ms. Krosney had a rather frightful, no, terrifying experience today," Optimus said. "A life-threatening experience that she was not prepared for and seeing me transform before her, just before we arrived here, was the last straw I suppose."

"I assume you gave her ample warning," June asked, still looking over Sierra who still has yet to awaken.

"I have but I failed to consider how overwhelmed she already was. I was not yet brought to speed of the specifics of their ordeal," Optimus said feeling ashamed.

Optimus," Ratchet said, placing a hand on his old friend's arm. "You're not to blame. If we were to protect these...newcomers, you had to give them a reason to trust us. Otherwise, they may not have gone with you willingly."

"Ok, first of all, let's get something straight!"

Optimus turned towards Vince, who was looking at him disdainfully.

"I don't trust you," Vince said, then he looked at the other Autobots and humans present. "Any of you."

"I didn't ask to be here, to be in this mess. This was supposed to be a normal day, a day of unwinding and now...I'll probably never know a moment of peace again-" and Vince then turned his sights on Agent Fowler, pointing at him with an accusing finger, "Because of YOU!"

Fowler said nothing. He just sat in his armchair, remaining calm as Vince continued frustrated and angry rant.

"And what's worse, Sierra was dragged into this! Do you know how scared she was when that ugly mug of a thug threatened her?!"

"As a retired Army Ranger son, I know a thing or two about being afraid for my life," Fowler said simply. "And now as liaison to the Autobots, it's more than just my life on the line."

Vince bristled. "Don't call me son!" Before Vince could say more, he paused as he processed what he just heard. "What do you mean by more than just your life on the line?"

"Let's just say we all have and had people we love that we want to keep safe from harm," Fowler said without so much as flinching or missing a beat.

"Now, that being said, I'll need to run interference with the mayor of Jasper, as well as the chief of police-" And then his voice dropped to a deeply fore bearing tone, "and I'll need to...choose very carefully of who's going to keep watch on Vince's family as well as Sierra's, including anyone they're close to."

Vince visibly flinched.

"Prime, could you give me a hand? It's still a bit sore and I need to hurry," Fowler asked.

Prime complied without a word.

"Thanks Prime," Fowler said. "For saving my neck...again."

"You're welcome."

Just before entering the base's lift to leave, Fowler turned to look at Vince. "And thank you Vince, for your bravery today."

"Whatever," Vince responded.

The lift door closed and Fowler was gone.

Upon seeing Fowler has departed, Vince took a seat where Fowler had just sat.

He said nothing for a moment but then took notice of Sierra, who was still on the couch unconscious. Vince's grim demeanor softened upon looking at her and remembering the terrible ordeal she went through today.

Then he turned his attention to the ones seated at the couch next to where Sierra was laid: Jackson Darby, Miko Nakadai, and Rafael Esquivel, his fellow classmates, all three looked apprehensively at him.

"What are you looking at?" Vince said passive-aggressively.

"Are you ok?" Raf asked.

Vince looked at the young hacker as though he was the stupidest person on the planet.

Raf recoiled slightly at his seething look.

"Stupid question I guess," Raf said.

"You think?" Vince responded who then turned his sights on Jack.

"So...this is what you have been doing in your spare time? Chilling with giant robots who transform into cars?"

"Among other things," Jack said simply.

Vince then looked at Miko. "And of course you'd be a part of this. You must feel right at home."

"As a matter of fact I do," Miko said, sticking out her tongue.

Vince turned away and bowed his head.

Jack attempted to soothe the situation the best way he presently knew how.

"Talk about being at the wrong place at the wrong time huh?" he joked.

Vince looked up at Jack with a deadpan look.

"Darby, I don't want to talk alright?" Vince said, more frustrated than angry.

He stood up and quickly descended down the stairs towards his car.

"Vince, where are you going?" Optimus asked sternly.

"I'm going for a drive!" Vince said impertinently.

"Vince, your vehicle has been seen and possibly noted by MECH. They'll looking out for it and its design is hardly inconspicuous," Optimus said.

"Don't care! I don't like being cooped up!" Vince yelled, getting in his car and starting the engine. But as he turned the key, there was a grinding noise and then silence.

"What the?" Vince said as he tried the ignition again.

"No," Vince said with growing horror and fury.

Vince got out of the car and opened up the hood. A great vast smoke erupted, causing Vince to choke.

Vince stood stock still upon seeing the ruined engine. Having been a part-time mechanic at a local auto repair shop for the past year and a half, Vince has attained a certain mastery over the basics of automobile mechanics, and even he could see that the time and money it would take to repair his car would be staggering.

Escaping from MECH in his car may have saved his life, Sierra's and Agent Fowler's, but it cost him his most prized possession, the race car that was left to him by his late father.

Upon realizing this, Vince had snapped.

"No no no no no no NO!" Vince screamed, kicking his car over and over again.

Vince dropped to his knees and placing his hands on the ground, and bowed his head so low, it nearly touched the floor.

"Why?!" Vince cried, hitting his fists against the floor. "WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS?!"

-You gonna cry you little runt?-
-think you're smarter than me-
-must be hard being you?-
-Where's your mom huh?-
-you don't belong here-
-just a chunky-clunky trike-
-we got something to settle right here-
-hard to win a race driving a pedal-car-
-DARBY!-

With his head still bowed to the floor, Vince's eyes shot wide open.

What's wrong with me? Am I losing my mind? Why am I remembering all of...those times I...

"Vince."

Vince didn't have to look up to see who just spoke to him. By now, he already knew that authoritative, commanding yet gentle baritone.

I swear I heard that voice before.

"What is it?" Vince said as steadily as he could, but even though Optimus Prime had just met him, he could tell that Vince, on the inside, has been brought low, broken by the events of one bad day.

"I am truly sorry for the predicament you are in and the grave distress it has brought you," Optimus said sadly. "But as I said, I will do everything in my power to keep you and Sierra from coming to harm," Optimus said with grim determination.

Vince said nothing, though he seemed to have calmed down a bit, but he was still quite distressed due to his circumstances.

"Now I believe that I have some answers to some of the questions you have," Optimus said right before transforming.

Vince stood up just in time to see Prime finish his transformation, who then opened his passenger door.

"What-I don't understand," Vince said, not entirely understanding what Optimus was intending.

"You wanted to go for a drive, correct?" Optimus asked.

"Yeah but I-"

Optimus cut him off.

"Come."

It wasn't a request.

Vince said nothing. He looked at the floor and then back at the open passenger door, as though weighing his options. After almost a minute, he made his decision.

I must be out of my mind...buuuut I always wanted to ride in a big rig.

Vince quickly and eagerly went up the truck's step ladder and into the passenger seat. He didn't even have to close the door behind as it shut itself closed on its own accord.

"Seatbelt."

"Huh? Oh, yes sir," Vince said shakily as he applied his seat belt.

"Where do you wish to go?" Optimus asked.

"I don't really care," Vince said.

"Neither do I," Optimus said, starting his engine.

"Wait!" Vince cried out suddenly, placing both hands on the dashboard.

"What is it Vince?" Optimus asked concerned.

Vince ignored him.

Better make this quick.

"Esquivel, come here a second," Vince said, getting out of the truck.

Rafael gave him a confused look. "Why?"

"Just...please. I promise I'm not going to hurt you," Vince said, trying to sound gentle through gritted teeth.

Raf pursed his lip in thought for a moment and then he quickly made his way down the stairs. Hesitantly, Raf stood before Vince, twiddling his fingers nervously.

Vince looked down at Raf, then looked up at Jack and Miko, who watching from up on the railing. Jack looked concerned and Miko had a look that seemed to say, 'hurt him and you're dead.'

Bumblebee stepped forward, looking quite angry, but Arcee placed a hand on his chest in order to stop him.

Vince looked back down at Raf. "How much did that laptop cost?"

"What?" Raf said. Now he was really confused.

"Your laptop which I broke last year, which you had replaced since then, how much did it cost?" Vince asked growing impatient.

"Th-three-hundred and ninety-nine p-plus tax," Raf stuttered.

"Ok," Vince said as he reached for something in his jacket. He pulled out his wallet, took out a couple of bills and handed it to Raf.

Raf didn't take it first, he just stared at the money as though he didn't know what it was.

"There's five-hundred, it's yours."

Raf's eyes shot open.

The entire base was silent. No one spoke. No one made a sound.

Vince rolled his eyes.

"Look, I broke something of yours, it's only fair I pay for it. And don't even think of leaving it here, I know where you live," Vince said, trying to sound tough.

Hesitantly, Raf took the money. He was almost speechless. He counted the money, it was $500 alright, all in hundred dollar bills.

Raf looked up to see Vince getting back in the truck.

"Thank you," he said.

"Whatever," Vince said curtly.

And then Optimus drove off, with Vince in tow.

Even after they left, Jack stood where he was.

"Unbelievable," Miko said.

"Yeah, crazy right?" Jack agreed.

"Hmmph," Bulkhead muttered, crossing his arms. "Still doesn't erase all the things he did to you guys."

"No," Raf said. "But if he wants to make amends, then, well I don't know about you guys, but I'm not gonna scorn him."

"Bzzzzzrrrrtteeeeeeooooop!" Bumblebee was frantically pointing towards Sierra, who was stirring on the couch.

"She's waking up?" Raf said.

June laid down beside Sierra as she sat up from the couch, her cool wrap slipping off her face. Jack, Miko and Raf stood next to the couch, watching just a foot away.

Sierra groaned, rubbing her eyes.

"Sierra, you alright honey?" Nurse Darby said.

"Ms. Darby, is that you?" Sierra said groggily, squinting, trying to open her eyes.

"Yes, it's alright. You're safe now."

"Safe from what?" Sierra asked as she finally opened her eyes.

As her vision cleared, she could recognize the boy behind Nurse Darby.

"Jack, what-what's going on?" Sierra asked, sounding quite confused.

"Don't worry Sierra, I promise to explain everything later," Jack said.

"And is that...Miko Nakadai? What are you doing he-"

Sierra stopped speaking abruptly.

"Sierra?" Jack said.

Sierra showed no sign that she heard him. She wasn't looking at him, at any of them, she was looking behind them. Her eyes grew huge and terror immediately occupied them, and even though her mouth dropped open, she did not make a sound.

Why is she-oh no.

Jack immediately turned to see the Autobots directly behind them, way too close for comfort for a girl who only a few hours ago was plunged into a reality she was not prepared. It was not in her best interest for three Autobots to be looking so closely at her as though she were a science exhibit.

"You guys!" Jack screamed. "Don't stand so close to her when she woke up after fainting! Give her some air!"

Before Ratchet could shoo them away however, it was already too late.

A soft thump was heard. Jack turned to see that Sierra slumped back onto the couch, unconscious once more.

Jack turned to glare at the Autobots, who looked quite ashamed of themselves. Even Arcee looked quite embarrassed herself.

"Sheesh," Miko said. "This just isn't her day."

To be continued...

Voice Cast

Jack Darby - Josh Keaton

Miko Nakadai - Tania Gunadi

Rafael Esquivel - Andy Pessoa

June Darby - Markie Post

Agent William Fowler - Ernie Hudson

Vince Raider - Brad Raider

Sierra Krosney - Alexandra Krosney

Optimus Prime - Peter Cullen

Ratchet - Jeffrey Combs

Arcee - Sumalee Montano

Bulkhead - Kevin Michael Richardson

Bumblebee - Will Friedle (In a later season)

Phew, this took me past midnight to finish.

Happy Easter everybody. May we all remember the day that He was risen.

PLEASE LEAVE REVIEWS AND TELL OTHER TRANSFORMERS FANS ABOUT THIS.

CHEERS!