Trials, Tribulations, and Transformations
XII - Adjusting
Autobot Outpost Omega One, Jasper, Nevada - April 24th, 2011 - Sunday, 8:30 AM
Miko Nakadai's eyes drooped open as she woke up from a deep sleep.
As her eyes adjusted, she took in her new surroundings.
This looks different...but I'm in my bed...oh, wait...that's right. All my things have been moved to the Autobot base because MECH is hunting us.
Miko laid there in her bed for a moment, allowing the implications of her situation to sink in. And then, out of sheer excitement, a wide grin stretched out on her face.
Sweet!
Miko immediately kicked off her bed covers and jumped out of bed. She grabbed her guitar and one of her guitar picks, and with intense enthusiasm, she strung a cord.
The sound echoed throughout the entire room and it lingered until it became silent.
What followed was the sound of groaning, as though someone was waking from sleep in an ugly way.
Oops.
"Ugh! What in the…"
Miko turned towards the wall of the cubicle where the voice came from and what emerged was a deeply annoyed Kaitlyn Steinfeld as she looked over the wall from her room.
Miko giggled nervously as Katie glared at her, rubbing her tired eyes while doing so.
"What do you think you're doing playing that God-awful music and waking us up like that?!" Katie said.
"Sorry," Miko said sheepishly. "I forgot that I was sharing a room in a bigger room."
Sighing, Katie turned to look down at something before looking back at Miko. "Well, it's already half past eight in the morning. High time to get up I guess."
Katie's eyes widened as she remembered something.
"Sierra."
Katie got down from where she was and immediately went over to the opposite wall and looked over it.
"What's wrong?" Miko asked, looking over from her room, becoming increasingly concerned. "Did I wake her too?"
"Doesn't look like it," Katie said with her back to Miko.
Sierra Krosney was sound asleep in her bed. Despite the traumatic events of yesterday, Sierra, with the comfort and support of her best friend, managed to doze off and sleep the night away, almost without incident.
"She's still asleep?" Miko said, sounding quite bewildered. "After that jam I made on my guitar?"
"If you can call it a jam," Katie said. "And I've always known Sierra to be a heavy sleeper."
Katie gave an impressed grunt. "I've thought for a while if there was anything that could wake her up. At this point, I'm wondering if anything can wake her at all."
At that, Sierra began to stir.
"Ka...tie?" Sierra mumbled groggily.
Taken aback by how her friend had awoken out of the blue, Katie steadied herself. "I'm here Siri," she said.
"Uggh," Sierra said, groaning as she sat up in her bed. "You...sure have a way...of waking people up Katie."
"Huh?"
Well, I heard you talking," Sierra said.
Katie had to bite her lip to keep from gawking.
"You woke up to me talking? And nothing else?" Katie asked trying not to sound bewildered.
"Um...I guess so."
Katie's nostrils flared and she heard snickering from behind her. Katie turned to glare at Miko who was stifling her laughter.
"You were pretty loud," Miko said before she started giggling uncontrollably.
Katie cried out in exasperation before flopping facefirst down on her bed.
"Oh lighten up Katie, I was only teasing," Miko said.
Katie turned over and waved a dismissive hand. "No, it's fine. Just the past twenty-four hours really wore me out."
"Tell me about it," Sierra said, leaning over the wall with her arms crossed.
Miko looked at Sierra with sympathy. "Are you ok Sierra?"
"Yes yes, I'm fine. More or less," Sierra said tiredly.
"Want some breakfast?" Katie asked, wanting to change the subject.
"Oh yes please, I'm starving."
"Me too," Miko agreed.
"Alrighty, let's see what we got in the kitchen."
"We have a kitchen?" Sierra asked.
9:00 am
"Wow, it's delicious!" Raf exclaimed as he ate a morsel of eggs and bacon off his plate.
"Thank you," Vince Raider said as he was frying a large pan of hickory bacon on a gas stove.
"I've only known my mom to cook this good and I definitely did not expect to eat something this good that was cooked by you," Jack said. And then he looked apologetic. "No offense Vince."
"None taken," Vince said without turning from the stove. "I never really cooked for anyone but my mom."
"You really love your mom, huh Vince?" Raf asked.
"Of course I do," Vince said, almost insulted by the question. "Look, since we're going to be staying here a while, we should try to get along."
"Definitely. And cooking breakfast for us is certainly a good start," Jack said as he happily ate some bacon.
"Just...don't get all buddy-buddy ok?" Vince said, trying to hide his discomfort. "I'm not quite ready for that. I still...got things to deal with."
"Hey, no worries," Jack said. "Totally fine. But you got to remember something Vince."
"What's that?"
"We're in this together. Together," Jack said with determination.
Vince chuckled. "You almost sound like Prime."
Jack chuckled in return. He kept his mouth closed as his mouth was full. And then he swallowed. "He's something else huh?"
"No kidding," Vince agreed. "I never heard anyone talk like him...not since-"
Vince then stopped himself from talking any further, not wanting to continue in that line of conversation.
"Not since what Vince?" Raf asked.
"Nothing," Vince said dismissing the conversation.
Before Raf could enquire further, Jack lightly grabbed him by the arm to stop him from speaking, shaking his head at him.
"It's best," Jack mouthed, "that we don't push him to answer. We don't want to upset him."
Raf nodded in understanding and continued eating.
"Anyway," Vince said as he motioned to the multitude of trays on the countertop next to the stove area. "There's plenty more on the counter, help yourselves."
"Thanks Vince," Jack said.
"Yeah, thanks," Raf agreed.
Vince shrugged his shoulders. "Sure, whatever."
"Hey look!" Raf cried, pointing at something.
Vince and Jack turned to look at whatever it is that Raf was pointing at.
It was a large flat tv screen in the upper corner of the kitchen closest to the stove, which showed a multitude of screens, like that of a fly's vision, and it showed certain images in HD color, images which consisted of live activity in the base.
The particular image that Raf was pointing at showed the hallway just outside the kitchen. Three persons were coming down the hallway, three young ladies which the boys were very much familiar with: Sierra, Katie, and Miko.
"Hopefully there's enough, Miko's got a big appetite," Jack said with a knowing smile. "And I should know, she really put away my mom's cooking."
Raf chuckled. "You can say that again."
"So….why do we have those cameras again? And why do we have the screens here in the kitchen?" Jack asked with genuine curiosity.
"Security purposes and so that those in the base may be aware of any interlopers that may have infiltrated the base unawares. At least that's what Ratchet told me."
"Are there more screens like it?" Jack asked.
"Yup," Raf said. "In our rooms, in the command center, the sports hall where the bots train, and in the bots' personal quarters too."
"They need that much security? Even in their own base?"
With a start, Jack and Raf turned to see Miko standing right by them, with Sierra and Katie in tow. All of which had expressions of bewilderment, wonder, and curiosity.
"Yes Miko," Raf said, now shaken out of his stupor. "You remember that Con who snuck into our base before?"
"People have snuck into this base before?" Katie asked.
"Only once," Miko answered. "And it was a Decepticon who was wearing a disguise."
"A robot in disguise...in disguise?" Sierra said, sounding even more confused.
"Pretty much," Jack said humorlessly.
"But Wheeljack blew him up, so no worries about him," Miko said.
"Who's Wheeljack?" Katie asked.
"Another Autobot," Raf answered. "But he's offworld right now but the bots send out a distress signal so I'm sure he'll come soon, along with any other Autobot that might receive the signal."
"So there's more of them out there?" Sierra asked in relief. "That's good."
"Yeah, but we'd still be outnumbered even with the added numbers," Jack said grimly.
Sierra looked crestfallen and Katie looked like she was about to strike him.
But someone already beat her to the punch, literally.
Jack felt a sharp impact on his arm and realized that someone had just hit him.
"Ow!" Jack cried out, nursing his right arm. "Miko! That hurt."
"She's had a bad day yesterday. You should be more considerate," Miko said annoyed.
Jack looked stricken, realizing his mistake.
"Sorry Sierra," he said.
"It's ok," Sierra said but she still sounded stricken.
Jack was quick to correct himself. "Sierra, if numbers were all that mattered, we wouldn't be here. The bots would not be here. They've always been outnumbered, and yet for centuries of war, they've survived. They are still here Sierra. They are still fighting."
This seemed to calm Sierra down as her shoulders relaxed and she released yet another breath that she didn't realize she was holding.
Raf, being the methodical young genius, couldn't help putting his two cents in.
"Even though the bots are at a disadvantage with the limited technology they had, they still managed to find a way to win. The Decepticons have an army, a warship, and an enormous supply of resources and yet against all odds, the Autobots managed to keep them at bay and have been doing so for the entire time they've been on earth. And now we have a brilliant scientist who is allowing the Autobots access to his tech which will be invaluable in the fight against the Cons and MECH. We will win this Sierra."
Rafael had said this with such strength and determination that it seemed to quell whatever fear was inside of Sierra and it touched her. Sierra smiled warmly down at Raf, her eyes beginning to tear up. She then leaned down and planted a kiss on his cheek.
Rafael seemed to stiffen up, as though he were frozen, his face turning scarlet.
"Thank you Raf," Sierra said, a tear rolling down her cheek.
Raf didn't move. He didn't even turn his head. He just sat there, red as a beet, with his head downward and with fork in hand with a bit of waffle still on it.
This was the cheer captain from his school, one of the most beautiful girls at his school.
And she just kissed him.
He snapped out of his stupor when he felt two roughly ruffling his spiked hair.
"The smartest kid in school, through and through," Katie laughed as the boy genius cringed under her playful onslaught. He was not used to this sort of treatment, especially from girls.
Miko stifled her giggles at the scene but Jack decided to step in and end Rafael's awkward predicament.
"Alright alright," Jack said, standing up in his chair and holding a hand up. "Go easy on him will you?"
"Sure sure," Katie laughed, giving Raf a final ruffle of his hair before leaving him be.
"Why don't you guys have breakfast before it gets cold," Jack said motioning to the trays on the counter.
"Whoa," Katie said astonished.
"Wow," Sierra said.
"I know, right?" Miko agreed. "Check out this spread! Waffles. Eggs. Bacon."
"Jack?" Sierra said. "Did you do all this?"
"No, it was Vince."
"The bully made breakfast?" Miko asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow.
"Miko…"
"Sorry but that seems like a big leap for someone like him Jack," Miko said.
"It's true Miko, Vince really did make breakfast, for all of us," Raf said.
"Then where is he?"
"Huh? Wh-where's who?" Jack asked confused. Then he looked about his surroundings and realized that there was no sign of Vince in the kitchen. "Vince?"
"He must've slipped out just before you girls came in," Raf said as he adjusting his glasses.
"Now why would Vince just leave after making breakfast for us? Because we were coming in? What is he afraid of?" Katie asked.
"Maybe he's just shy."
The remaining children turned towards Sierra with looks of slight bewilderment.
"Shy Sierra?" Katie said. "Vinny is many things but he's not the shy sort."
"He's been through a great deal since yesterday Kat. We've all been. And Vince...well...he just seems different lately. Like he's living his life differently. Actually, he's been changing ever so slightly ever since his last race." Sierra turned towards Jack. "You were there Jack, remember? You gave me a ride afterwards on your bike."
Jack looked at her. "Her name's Arcee."
Sierra paused. "Huh?" It took her less than a second to realize what Jack meant. "Oh...OH! Right, she's that dark-blue and pink Autobot. She's been your bike this entire time."
Sierra paused to allow the implications of this revelation to sink in. "I rode an alien robot…" she said in awe and shock. "I...rode...an alien...robot."
"Pretty sweet right?" Miko chimed.
"In a way, I guess," Sierra said. "Now, Jack, what happened at that race?"
Jack looked downward but he said nothing.
"Vince told me that you came to the race with a different vehicle, a yellow and black muscle car, which coincidentally has the same color scheme as that Autobot, Bumblebee was it?"
Jack begin to look deeply uncomfortable but Sierra wasn't done.
"Vince also told me that he was jumped by some gang and put in the trunk of their car, only to be dumped on the side of the road. At least, that's what you told him."
Katie stepped forward towards Jack with her hands on her hips. "Come to think of it, something about that story has puzzled me. Me and Sierra saw Vince soon after the race, told us your story. But it doesn't really add up to me."
"Katie…"
"Hang on Raf. Now, Vince has been jumped and knocked out by some nameless gang and yet he doesn't have a scratch on him, other than a headache. I've known Vinny since we were kids and he's always been a hardy sort, the toughest kid in school, no question. Not many guys, even together could stand up to him. And it takes a lot to put his lights, believe me. So the idea that some gang could sneak up on him, knock him out, without leaving marks, thus leaving no memory of what happened after, only to be dumped on the side to be picked up by you coincidentally, the sum of all that is ridiculous."
Jack sighed. "Yeah, it does. But I was hoping that'd be the end of it."
"Can we ask what really happened Jack?" Sierra asked. "I mean, we're all in this now. Any information that might save our lives would be appreciated."
Jack looked at Sierra, then at Katie, then at Miko and Raf. Miko seemed to motion at Katie and Sierra as though Jack should just tell them. Raf simply nodded in approval.
Jack took a deep breath and then he finally spoke. "We'll tell you what we can but as for what happened at that race, Vince needs to hear this. I owe it to him to tell him myself."
"I'll get him," Sierra said as she headed to the door.
Katie grabbed her by the shoulder. "Wait Siri, it might be better if I get him."
Sierra looked at Katie oddly. "Why?"
"Because I have an idea why he gave us the slip. Trust me."
"Ok," Sierra said skeptically. "Why do you think he gave us the slip?"
Katie smiled. "Let's just say I think you had the right of it."
"I'm not sure I understand."
Katie sighed in exasperation, gesturing for Sierra to come closer. She did so, lending her ear, and Katie whispered,"I'm saying he's shy and didn't have the courage to face you after making breakfast."
Sierra paused, still slightly confused, and then she nodded. "Okay."
Katie smiled. "And save me some waffles, 'kay?"
And she swept out the door.
9:50 am
Why did I do that?
Vince continued walking along the hallway of the base, brooding.
I've known Sierra...a-and Katie for years, nearly all my life. What do I have to be afraid of?
Vince paused, pondering his actions as of late.
I've never made breakfast for anyone but my mom. Darby and Esquivel are one thing, but Si-
Vince's heart skipped a beat.
Seriously, what's wrong with me?
"Hey Vinny! Wait up!"
Vince stopped walking, turning his head to see Katie rushing after him.
"Why'd you up and leave like that?" she asked catching up to Vince.
"Didn't feel like sticking around," Vince answered.
"Why? What's the problem? You're usually so...extroverted. You never sneak out of a party."
"This ain't exactly a party Katie, we're in hiding," Vince said.
"So what?" Katie said without missing a beat. "Doesn't mean we stop living."
Vince shrugged but he didn't argue.
"Anyway," Katie said, moving on from the topic, "Jack has some explanations for you."
"Does he?"
"He does," Katie said crossly. "For starters, what really happened at your last race."
Vince's eyes sparkled with interest.
"WHAT?!"
Both Katie and Vince jumped at the great sound that seemed to reverberate in the hall. It was so loud and so sudden, that both almost fell to the floor. It seemed to come from the direction leading to the command center, the common room of the base.
"That sounded like Ratchet," Katie said, sounding quite startled.
"He doesn't sound too happy," Vince said, a bit shaken himself.
Then they heard other voices, hushed voices, as though whoever was conversing with Ratchet wished to keep their conversation private.
Vince pointed a finger in the direction of the common room and said, "Should we-?"
"Listen in?" Katie said. "No way, we'd be in big trouble. If they wanted us to be part of it, do you think they'd talk in private?"
"They're in the common room, I'd say it's not so private."
"Vince," Katie said dangerously. "I can hear Optimus in there, do you really want to be on the receiving end of his anger if you eavesdrop on a conversation we have no business listening to?"
Vince froze upon recollecting of the events of yesterday, of when he was indeed on the receiving end of the Prime's anger when tried to rush Darby, which was unlike anything he had ever seen from his own mother...or father. Thinking about it sent a terrible chill through his body, from the bottom of his spine and into his skull. Then it hit him.
Security cameras. There were surveillance cameras all over the base and monitors
"Do...do you know?" Vince inquires, albeit shakenly.
Katie slightly taken aback by Vince's timidity, but not at all surprised. "Do I know about how Optimus ruthlessly talked you down right after you tried to hurt Jack? Yes, I do."
"Who-?"
"Miko told me," Katie said.
Vince gritted his teeth, feeling both angry and humiliated at the same time, but he managed to harness his emotions, calming himself down.
"Let's just go back to the kitchen," he said steadily.
Katie was taken aback yet again, this time by how quickly Vince managed to calm himself, how he just brushed off a slight against himself as if it was nothing.
Sierra said that Vince had changed lately but...geez.
"You ok?" Katie asked.
"I'm fine, let's just go ok?" Vince said, brushing by Katie.
Katie watched Vince go and then with a somber sigh, she followed after him.
10:00 am
"Optimus, you cannot be serious."
"I am, Ratchet."
Optimus had called in one of his most trusted confidants and one of his closest, oldest friends to inform of an unexpected development: the coming arrival of a new human charge.
"Optimus," Ratchet said, trying very hard to keep his infamous temper under control. "How many more?! How many more-"
"Ratchet." Optimus said in a commanding voice. Unnerved, Ratchet stopped talking immediately. The Prime rarely ever raised his voice at all. It must be important if it has gotten the Prime so on edge.
"It might be better if we continue this conversation in my quarters," Optimus said.
"O-of course Optimus," Ratchet said steadily.
Both Optimus and Ratchet turned to leave for the Prime's private quarters. As they were halfway across the common room, Optimus spoke.
"Once he's prepared, Agent Fowler will send an encrypted signal which will serve as the go-ahead for the operation. Then we must act quickly, without hesitation. Do you understand Ratchet?"
"Perfectly Optimus."
They walked in grim silence in the hallways. Even when they reached the door to his room, neither Prime nor his physician spoke.
Once they were inside, once the door was shut and locked, and once privacy mode was initiated, Optimus continued where he left off.
"Do you know whom of which I wish to safeguard here Ratchet?" he asked.
"I haven't a clue Optimus, isn't that why we're here in your quarters with it set to private mode?" Ratchet said grumpily.
"Agent Fowler was most adamant that I do this for him Ratchet because there aren't enough of his people that he can entrust his safety to. Essentially, we are his last hope."
Ratchet's Chevron brows rose up in bewilderment. "Agent Fowler wishes to place his life in our hands?"
Optimus looked at Ratchet with grave intensity. "Not his life Ratchet...but the life of his son."
Ratchet recoiled as if struck, his optics shot open and his mouth dropped open in shock.
"His...his son?" Ratchet stammered.
Optimus nodded. "Fowler informed me that internal data monitoring in the Pentagon suggests that someone had hacked into confidential files of certain government agents, including Agent Fowler."
"MECH?"
Optimus nodded. "That is most likely."
Ratchet clenched his teeth, his mind in override of this new information.
"There's more?" Ratchet asked, dreading the answer.
"Yes, Fowler had engaged an investigation of his own and, in no uncertain terms, has discovered that MECH's reach and influence within the US government goes deeper than we imagined."
Ratchet felt like his spark chamber might fail him at this rate.
"How deep?" he asked.
Optimus' optics were grim. "We cannot say for certain but, with the evidence Fowler presented to me, we must assume that MECH or whomever they answer to have people in every level of government."
Ratchet's legs appeared to be shaking and Optimus immediately guided him to a steel chair so that he could sit down. Ratchet did so with gladness and pinched the bridge of his nose plate, sighing deeply.
Optimus pulled out a steel chair of his own and sat down.
"The evidence?" Ratchet muttered.
"It is vast but I must make a few notable mentions: the identities of the two men who tried to abduct Agent Fowler yesterday as well as the identities of the MECH agents who were killed trying to catch him, Vince and Sierra by car."
Optimus produced a datapad, punched a few commands, and handed it to Ratchet.
Ratchet looked at the datapad and saw that it consisted of two images, mugshot photographs of two human males he'd never seen before. The one on the left was a white male identified as Jason Watts. He had long black hair and beard and a deep scar across his left eye. The other was a Hispanic male named Raymond Cortes. He was bald-headed with a short beard. His most distinguished characteristic as noted was a tattoo of a skull on his right hand, color black.
Ratchet scrolled down and saw two new pictures of these men, updated pictures apparently but sketched as attempts to take photos of them failed. The white man had a buzz-cut and was clean-shaven but the scar across his left eye was the most distinguished characteristic so recognizing him by it was easy. The Hispanic was bald with very little facial hair, not much change there.
Beneath the pictures of the two men were their personal information, their offender information, as well as their...death row information?
And their dates of execution? As well as embedded links of their death certificates?
"Optimus, according to the information on this datapad, these two men were sentenced to death and then executed several years ago."
"Indeed," Optimus said.
Ratchet was stumped at first but after a moment of pondering, it hit him. "MECH arranged for their recruitment by falsifying their executions, their death certificates and then having them disappear from society. With them pronounced legally dead, they are effectively ghosts, thus making them effective soldiers and spies among their ranks"
Optimus nodded. "Precisely."
Ratchet read further of the criminals' information and what he found made his tank churn.
Jason "Biter" Watts (age 43) was an American serial killer, kidnapper, and rapist who raped, tortured and murdered twelve young girls between years 1999 and 2003 across the New England states. He was charged and found guilty of twelve counts of kidnapping, nine counts of rape and seventeen counts of murder, three of the victims police officers. According to his file, investigators believe there are several other kidnappings and murders that have not been accounted for as the missing persons have yet to be found and circumstantial evidence points to Watts being responsible but nothing solid. All the above crimes have been proven with solid evidence and eyewitness accounts of the victims who have been found alive. He was sentenced to death by lethal injection on November 12th, 2007, but that was clearly false since he is now alive and free.
Raymond "La Calavera" Cortes (age 38) was an American-Mexican heroin drug trafficker and leader of a small but dangerous gang known as Los Muertos (which roughly translated means 'The Dead;' its members, like their leader are notable for having tattoos of black skulls on their right hand) in Miami, Florida. From 2001 to 2007, he had a major hand in the drug run on the South-Eastern coast of the US. Amidst his drug trafficking operations, he murdered thirty-three people (ten of them being eyewitnesses who would've testified against him and twelve of them were done by his own hand), committed three arsons (which caused 12 of the 33 murders he committed), and kidnapped seventeen people (nine of which were murdered). Investigators adamantly assert that Cortes is responsible for several more murders and disappearances that have not been proven due to lack of evidence. He was charged, found guilty and sentenced to death by lethal injection, which was on record, carried out on June 10th, 2009. This turned out to be false as well.
Both of these men are ruthless, notorious and extremely dangerous criminals. Both of which have been falsely pronounced dead and are now at large once again, and have been at large for several years. Who knows what atrocities they've committed while under MECH's employment.
Mustering the courage to enquire further, Ratchet said, "And the two MECH agents who perished?"
"Scroll left," Optimus said simply.
Ratchet did so and the datapad revealed a tabbed page which shows two separate profiles of two men on what appears to be copy-pasted confidential file. What Ratchet read startled him to his very spark, but he expected this.
"Optimus, this file seems to confirm that these men were active Special Tactics covert operatives for the US military. They were currently-enlisted."
"Indeed," Optimus said gravely.
"So MECH do have men who are currently enlisted in the military of this country after all," Ratchet said forebodingly. "Who knows how many more there are."
"Which would explain why MECH agents are wearing masks, but why Silas would leave his face uncovered is another question entirely," Optimus said.
Ratchet sighed deeply and stood up, datapad still in hand. "Who else knows about this?"
"Besides myself, you and Agent Fowler? Agent Fowler left a list of persons who are privy of this situation and who's involved, which has been downloaded into the datapad you're holding. It's a storage datapad so it cannot be transmitted or tapped in any way. However, the datapad cannot leave this room Ratchet."
"Why not?"
"Because the datapad, as an assurance that it's contents never falls into the wrong hands, has been programmed to self-destruct if it leaves the parameters of this room," Optimus said.
Ratchet's optics widened fearfully as he regarded the datapad as though it were a volatile explosive, which is essentially what it is.
"The children must never know of this Ratchet, not yet at least. It will only serve to frighten them, especially Sierra."
Ratchet felt his spark clench once more. Sierra. She was nearly in the grasp of that monster Watts, a murderer whose sinister reputation was that of a predator who targeted young girls. If she knew the truth in the shaken state she was in, it would serve to devastate her further. The knowledge that a child killer had her at his mercy would be too much for her to bear, despite the safety of being at the base.
"Of course," Ratchet said unwaveringly. "But what did you mean by not yet at least Optimus?"
Optimus paused, his optics narrowing down and looking downward, which suggested that he was deep in thought, considering carefully of how to answer the medic's question.
But the Prime's train of thought was interrupted by the sound of a sharp beeping sound in his comm receptor, indicating an incoming call.
"Ratchet, we'll have to continue this conversation another time. Leave that datapad here and come with me to command center."
"Is it…?"
"It is," Optimus said with finality.
Optimus and Ratchet left the room, making way to the command center.
Optimus then pressed the switch in his audio receptor, activating his communicator.
"Agent Fowler, is he ready?"
"Yes Prime, he is."
"Very good, I will arrive at the rendezvous point in a moment. Are we expecting MECH to make a move?"
"I'm almost certain of it. They'll fight very hard to get their hands on my boy."
Despite Fowler's valiant and sturdy disposition, Optimus Prime could tell that he was trying very hard to keep himself composed. The fear for the life of his son clearly weighing heavy of his mind and heart.
"Agent Fowler," Optimus said steadily. "I promise that I will do everything I can to keep your son safe and whole," then his voice dropped to a low, dangerous growl, "no matter the cost."
To be continued...