Trials, Tribulations, and Transformations
XXXII - Memory Lane
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Denver, CO - June 22, 2011 - Wednesday, 4:00 pm
"Remember boys, both eyes open."
Jack, Vince and Jon nodded. The boys were wearing eye protection, required for when one is partaking at a shooting range.
Captain Fanzone addressed the boys as though he were addressing new recruits in a junior military regiment rather than a group of teenagers. However, circumstances dictated otherwise and while they were still minors, they needed to be prepared.
They would start with basic shooting classes, followed by advanced close-quarter combat techniques.
Jon's father was enthusiastic about this arrangement.
Jack's mother however was not.
But she consented.
Vince's own mother simply nodded with a weak smile.
But these lessons were not for the purpose of grooming new recruits in the war effort against MECH, but simply for preparation for necessary self-defense. The children were not expected to partake in battle unless they had no other choice.
"How much of a choice do we have now?" Jack had thought to himself.
Miko Nakadai was rather unhappy that she and the girls were not included.
She was corrected however.
The girls, with the exception of Sari, would be permitted to receiving basic firearms training. But until a trusted female trainer is found, there would be no personal self-defense training classes, at least not with a male instructor as neither Captain Fanzone or Agent Fowler were not very comfortable with getting physical with a bunch of teenage girls.
Miko would be allowed basic self-defense training. However until she was cleared by June that she was in a sound state of mind, she was forbidden to do any firearms training.
The girl was not too happy about it but after much coaxing, Miko agreed, if half heartedly.
Katie Steinfeld did not share Miko's enthusiasm. As feisty as she was, Katie was not fond of violence. Although she has had her moments, like whenever some boy said something mean about her friend Sierra. The last time it happened, she gave some Football bigshot a black eye. And she got a week's detention for it.
A school fight was one thing for Katie, but the idea of having to possibly shed blood, even kill, that was a line she was not willing to cross.
And seeing what it has done to her best friend, she was less willing than before.
Sierra Krosney. Ever since her run-in with MECH after the abandonment of the previous Autobot Base, Sierra was not the same. She became timid and very guarded. Even though she knew that she was not given a choice, killing that MECH soldier had shaken Sierra so terribly, emotionally and mentally, Nurse Darby had to prescribe medication for her.
It was not immediate but once it sunk in, Sierra had barely spoken since then. In fact, the only times she had really spoken was when she woke up screaming and crying at night.
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Screaming.
Sierra shot up from her bed in a cold sweat, tears running down her cheeks. She grasped her head, shaking terribly and crying her eyes out.
The door to her room swung open with lightning swiftness.
Sierra screamed as the figure entered her room, followed by another.
She couldn't see their faces but she didn't care. She had to get away from them. She had to escape or she would surely die.
Or she would be forced to kill again.
She felt a pair of hands grab her by the shoulders.
"Get away!" Sierra screamed, trying to free herself. "Don't touch me!"
"Sierra! Sierra! It's me, it's Katie!"
Sierra stopped upon hearing the familiar voice that was her oldest friend.
"It's ok Siri," Katie whispered. "We're here."
Miko came into view and she sat on one side of the bed while Katie sat on the other.
Sierra almost stopped shaking but the tears didn't stop.
"It was MECH," Sierra cried. "They were coming. And then…" She choked back a sob. "I was covered in blood. Their blood."
Sierra heard a sniffle. It did not come from her. She looked down and saw that Sari was sitting in front of her, just at her lap in her yellow pajamas. She was crying too.
How did Sierra not notice her coming in and getting on the bed?
And she was looking up at Sierra with those deep brown eyes which were just so filled with love.
Taking one of her hands, Sari presses it to her cheek. "We are here for Siri," Sari whispered.
Sierra could take no more. She covered her face with her free hand as she broke down once more.
With tears in her eyes, Sari hugged the cheer captain around the waist.
Following suit, Katie and Miko put their arms around their friend as she cried.
They stayed in that position until they all fell asleep.
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After that night, certain arrangements had to be made.
Sierra would no longer sleep alone, per her request. Katie would move her bed into her room. Sierra did not wish for her to as she did not want her to go out of her way but Katie would have no argument over it.
Sierra of course underwent certain therapy sessions under June along with Miko. And she has been receiving much support from her friends, including Sideswipe, her guardian and especially from Katie, her best friend.
Nurse Darby had assured that eventually, with time, Sierra would recover from her shock. But it would take more time for her to find healing from her newly formed PTSD.
"She'll be just fine," June had said. "She has friends who are loving and understanding."
As for Sari, being one of the abductees, she would be receiving therapy sessions as well, including Jon. Both of them seemed to be the most tempered out of all of June's patients.
June was both impressed and troubled by this. It was as if this had not been the first time that Jon and Sari had been abducted.
It was not.
June realized that she might have her work cut for her. But if it meant seeing these little ones well, it will be worth it.
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Autobot Base Omega Two - 6:00 pm
"How's the dent healing up Swipes?" Bumblebee asked.
Sideswipe, a Frontliner of the Autobots, tenderly nursing a healing dent on his black helm. "Healing nicely, I guess." He shuddered. "Hey Bee, next time I decide to pull a fast one on Ratchet, punch me in the face, will ya?"
"You got it, but I can't guarantee it'll hurt. I don't hurt my friends."
Sideswipe scoffed. "Too bad Ratchet doesn't share your ideals."
"It's not Ratch's fault you didn't look where you were going."
Sideswipe flushed with embarrassment. If he hadn't been so focused on fleeing the good doctor's wrath, he wouldn't have run his head into the conveniently overhanging pipe in the Autobot Base hallway.
"Kind of hard to when I was running for my life."
Bumblebee gave Sideswipe a look. "C'mon Sideswipe, it's not like you haven't pranked him before and the worst he's ever done to you was have you do cleaning duty."
"Yeah, for like an earth month."
"Maybe next time you should reconsider who you're making a fool of Sideswipe."
The two Autobots turned to see Arcee, the midnight-blue two wheeler leaning up against the hallway arch leading to the main halls.
"Hey Cee," the yellow scout said, waving.
Arcee simply raised her hand slightly, returning the greeting.
"So…you heard all that?" Sideswipe said.
"Just the part about you cleaning for a month."
Sideswipe was flushed once more.
"Oh stop," Arcee said, waving a dismissive hand. "Your string of pranks and the consequences that followed are quite famous."
Sideswipe's optics brightened. "You a fan?"
"No." Arcee narrowed her optics. "And if you prank me in any way, I will peel your paint in your power down."
The red frontliner held up his hands. "Sure Cee sure, you're off limits, got it."
"Good."
"Um…Swipes?" said a small voice that sounded very vulnerable and very young.
Bumblebee and Sideswipe looked down towards the doorway and Arcee looked behind her.
It was Sierra. Her hair was a bit unkempt and she was wearing her stay at home clothes: a checkered button up, skinny jeans and moccasins.
"What's up Siri?" Sideswipe said.
"Can we...can we go for a drive?"
"Of course we can sweetie." Sideswipe padded Bumblebee on the arm as he made his way to the exit with Sierra in tow. "See ya Bee."
"See ya."
Sideswipe walked past Arcee and bent down to pick up Sierra so she didn't have to walk all the way to the exit.
Arcee watched them go and she looked down, with her arms anxiously crossed across her chest. She had something on her mind, something that was causing a great struggle. "Sideswipe," She said.
"Yeah?"
She could not contain it any longer. "Does Glyph still hate me?"
Sideswipe stopped walking for a moment and he turned his head. He regarded Arcee with gentleness and sadness. "No...she doesn't hate you Cee, she never hated you. She was...she was just so torn up on what happened to Tailgate."
"She doesn't still blame me?"
Sideswipe shook his head. "No, and she was very ashamed that she ever did. She said that she knows you did everything you could and that you cannot hold yourself responsible for what happened. She also said that what happened to Tailgate was the result of a dire situation you had no control over. She promised that she would make it up to you when she sees you again."
Arcee clenched her eyes and she scrunched her bottom lip. She spoke no more, fearful that the next sound to come out of her mouth would be sobs.
Bumblebee was by her side in an instant. He wrapped his arms around the little two-wheeler and she did not resist the embrace anymore than when her mentor had done the same.
Arcee choked on her sobs, trying so very hard to hold them back.
She was failing miserably.
Deciding that it was best to leave the two be, Sideswipe, with Sierra in hand, turned and walked away.
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"Sideswipe?"
"Yes Sierra?"
"Who is Glyph? And who is Tailgate?"
Sideswipe did not answer at first. He just continued driving while Sierra sat in the driver's seat, trying to get comfortable.
She had her arms crossed as though she had a chill.
"Was that too personal?" Sierra asked.
"Oh no no, it's fine kiddo. It's just been a long time since I had to relay the story."
Sierra observed Sideswipe's radio system as though it were his face. "Is it a sad story?"
"Very. You know Arcee had a partner?"
Sierra nodded. "Cliffjumper."
"He was her last partner but she had another one before him."
Sierra gasped.
"Jack didn't tell you?"
"I...I don't know," Sierra stammered. "I was taking so much in since…since I first came to know of the Autobots...and this war."
"Hmm," Sideswipe said. "I understand. You're much too young to be involved in a war."
Sierra shrugged cynically. "And yet here I am."
"And yet here you are." Sideswipe cleared his vocal pathways. "Arcee had another partner, right around the time Cybertron went dark. His name was Tailgate and he was a good soldier. Not only a good soldier but a great bot. He not only put his life on the line for the Autobot cause but his good name too."
"How do you mean?"
"Back before the war, the governing system for Cybertron was headed up by Zeta Prime and the High Council. The High Council were not too keen about Optimus, even when they made him a Prime. Those who were close to him got blacklisted for their association with Optimus, including Tailgate."
"So Tailgate was essentially named untrustworthy and was ostracized just for being friends with Optimus?" Sierra said.
"Pretty much," Sideswipe said. "Some Bots distanced themselves from Prime and few stayed with him. The few were bots like Jazz, Ironhide, Cliff, Tailgate and many others."
Sierra felt a lump in her throat and swallowed. "Where were you when all this was happening?"
"Me? I was a racer back in Kalis and a proud one at that."
Sierra smirked. "I had a feeling you were into something like that."
Sideswipe laughed. "Still am doll face."
Sierra sniffled and giggled, wiping her nose. Doll face? "So...Tailgate?"
"Oh yeah, right after Cybertron went dark, there was an arrangement of scouting teams for artillery and Energon depots. We'd need them once the natural Energon flow from the core went dry. Arcee was teamed up with Tailgate. They were a good team. Her stealth skills with his sharpshooting, Ironhide said they were perfect." Sideswipe's tone took a grim tone, giving a sense of mourning. "Then one day, there was this hidden bunker, a weapons cache. There was going to be an ambush on this group of Cons, nasty killers, didn't have the ordinance to take them head on. It was Arcee and Tailgate's job to take out any scouts that would give us away. Tailgate missed one and Arcee had to hunt down this sniper in order to prevent them from raising the alarm." Sideswipe paused. And then said in a foreboding voice, "She was caught and taken for questioning, by the Cons' resident psycho, Airachnid."
Sierra wrung her hands. She increased the fan in the vehicle's AC as she was starting to feel warm. "Airachnid is that spider Con who tried to kill Jack," she said softly.
"Twice from what I heard. She wanted the coordinates for the attack position, where the Bots planned to make their ambush. Arcee did not have that information. And…" Sideswipe stopped and chose his words carefully. He knew that Sierra was a vulnerable state and he would have to be careful if he didn't want to aggravate her state of mind. "And Arcee kept quiet, no matter what that freak put her through. Until...until she brought Tailgate in. And she killed him...right before Arcee's eyes."
Sierra covered her mouth, tears streaming over her cheeks. She hiccuped a sob. "Oh Arcee. And she blamed herself?"
"Yes."
"And this Glyph blamed her too?"
"She did."
"But why?" Sierra asked.
"Glyph didn't mean it, not really," Sideswipe said sadly. "She was hysterical. Tailgate was the closest thing to a brother she ever had. The first person in her line of sight was Arcee, the one who was caught and the one who couldn't save her partner, and therefore the one who must be blamed."
"But...but she didn't blame Arcee for long?"
"No. She was very ashamed too," Sideswipe said grimly. "She had wanted to apologize herself but she never got the chance before she boarded one of the last Autobot transports leaving Cybertron."
"Not the Ark?" Sierra said.
"No, all non-combatants and citizens were to leave first." Sideswipe sighed wearily. "Some of them didn't get through."
"W-Why?"
"Megatron had shot them down."
Shocked, Sierra covered her mouth once more.
"But thank the Allspark Glyph made it through. I don't know what I would've done if something happened to her."
Sierra uncovered her mouth and there was a small smile underneath. "You and Glyph are close?"
Sideswipe had to make an effort to keep from spluttering. "Oh...uh...we've been friends since we were younglings, me, Tails, Sunny and Glyphy."
Sierra choked on a laugh. "Glyphy?"
Sideswipe swerved erratically for a moment, causing Sierra to grab onto her seat for dear life. "Hey!"
"Sorry sorry!" Sideswipe cried. "Just lost my head there for a second."
"Maybe we should park somewhere."
"Yeah, good idea."
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Denver, 7:30 pm
"So Tails?"
"Yeah, that's a fun nickname Glyph gave to Tailgate. She was like the, as you humans put it, the mother hen of the group. She'd always try to keep us out of trouble." Sideswipe chuckled. "And she'd give us a sound beating on the head if we didn't."
Sierra giggled.
"Oh you think that's funny huh? I'm getting a sore helm just thinking about it."
Sierra could not keep from laughing. "That just means she cares Swipes."
"Yeah I know." Sideswipe's voice lowered to a melancholy tone. "I just hope she made it off Regulon 4 ok."
"Where?"
"That's a moon in the Regulon system, about a third way across your galaxy. We Autobots built a fortress there, called it New Iacon." Sideswipe gave a dry chuckle. "Guess we named it too soon. Cons tracked us down and drove us out."
"I'm sorry."
"Ah don't worry about it. Most of us made it out ok."
Sierra prodded her forefingers nervously. "So...so what does Glyph look like?"
"I'm glad you asked," Sideswipe said rather happily, as though he were waiting for her to ask. "I can pull up an image from my holographic photo gallery. One sec."
A holographic image emitted from a projector in the audio system of the interior and what was shown shocked Sierra to the core.
It was an image of Sideswipe with a femme Autobot. She had a teal paint job with a yellow trimming, a slightly dome-shaped helm with studded horns. She was apparently laughing hysterically as she was attempting to push away an overly-eager Sideswipe who was clearly trying to give her a kiss.
In the fraction of a second, Sideswipe turned off the projector.
Neither Sierra nor Sideswipe spoke. An awkward silence hung in the air.
And judging by the building heat in the car's interior, it was clear that Sierra's guardian was quite beside himself with embarrassment.
"This never happened," Sideswipe said.
"Gotcha."
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New York City, 3:00 am
"Did you find her Schultz?"
"Yes sir, the Klingenschmidt woman is right in front of us."
"Good, pull her over and bring her into my office."
"And the little boy? Her son?"
"Bring him too. We may need the brat as leverage."
"Anything else sir?"
"Just bring her alive, alive do you understand?"
"Perfectly sir."
The fancy suited man - Schultz - hung up the cellphone and made a turn, taking care to not let the black Lincoln sedan in front of him.
He had slick black hair that was graying and a goatee that looked as though the cost of its cut could feed a family of ten.
His partner, a bald man who was blind in one eye sat in the passenger seat. He was dressed well too but instead of the grim look shared by his partner, the driver, he had a sickening half-smirk on his face.
This annoyed Schultz very much.
"What are you grinning about Longo?"
The bald man - Longo - turned and his half grin was now a full Cheshire Cat smile.
"I get the boy right?"
Schultz almost slapped him.
"What is the matter with you?" Schultz said with apparent disgust.
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Lorna Klingenschmidt, a mild-mannered Manhattan lawyer by day, and a wife and mother.
It was only another normal day at the law office. Another case which she was strongly advised not to take.
But being the fighter that she was, being the benevolent advocate that she was, she could not in good conscience turn it down.
And it was not the first pro bono case she took either.
Unfortunately, this particular case was rather controversial and rather suspicious. Being the keen eye that she was, Lorna had little problem pointing the many holes in this case.
The case was arson and the defendant was a rather unfortunate individual. A bus driver with hardly any money at all. Lorna's heart went out to this one and her devoted husband supported her work in this.
And after only a day of going over evidence and digging deep, Lorna seemed to have uncovered signs that seemed to point this arson being a frame job and all the new evidence seemed to point to the defendant being the scapegoat, the patsy.
And after a long night of going over the case file, Lorna was on her way home.
Although all seemed well, she could not help but feel that there was something bigger to this case. Who could go through all the trouble of burning down an abandoned office building and pinning a lowly bus driver as the culprit.
Just how deep does this rabbit hole go?
Unfortunately, Lorna is about to find out.
Looking into her rear view mirror, Lorna sees, to her horror, a black GMC Yukon with tinted glass, speeding up behind her.
A terrible impact.
And her face feels the impact of the airbag.
For a moment, she's seeing stars.
She looks up and she sees that her car was forced into an alleyway.
Before she has time to collect herself, she sees two dark shapes approach her car from behind.
Instinctively, she taps a button and the car automatically locks.
A man stands over her from outside the car, a grim looking gentleman with graying black hair and a goatee.
"Please step out of the car, miss."
Lorna fights to keep the panic out of her voice and demands. "Who are you?! What do you want?!"
"I'd do what he says ma'am," says the man next to him, a bald man with a sinister glint in his one good eye. "No need to make this difficult."
The slick haired man tries to force the door open but it won't budge. "Open this door."
"No!" Lorna shouted. "Go away! Leave me alone!"
"This isn't a request ma'am," the black haired man says severely.
Before he could break the door open however, a sound is heard in the darkness of the alleyway.
Both men turn to look only to see nothing.
Schultz is not sure it was nothing.
"Longo, go check it out," he orders.
Longo takes one look at the frightened woman and he winks malevolently at her. He proceeds down the alleyway and disappears into the darkness.
Schultz keeps an eye out, waiting for his partner to report back. "Longo, what do you see?"
There was no reply.
He was about to call again when he saw a foot emerge from the shadows.
"Nuthin," Longo said, as he spat on the ground. "Just a bunch of rats."
Suddenly, Longo is engulfed by what looks like metallic tentacles and he screams in horror as he is dragged back into the darkness.
Schultz pulls out a gun and he points it in the alleyway but there is nothing he can see to shoot at.
At first, there is only silence.
What follows is a blood curdling scream.
Sweat immediately forms on Schultz' brow.
Silence reigned in the alley.
And then he hears the sound of a car ignition attempting to start.
Clenching his teeth, he sees the Klingenschmidt women trying her hardest to get her car to start, but to no avail.
Schultz turns his gun on the woman and she freezes, holding her hands up.
"No!" Lorna cried, tears in her eyes. "Don't!"
"Get out of the car now!" Schultz snarls.
Lorna does not comply. She is too frightened to even move. Her eyes are wide and unbelieving.
Schultz was about to repeat his command until he noticed something strange.
In the shimmering moonlight of the alleyway, in the shining reflection of the woman's windshield, right behind Schultz, he sees something.
Huge and metallic.
With eyes, glowing red like blood.
In a panicked reflex, Schultz turns and attempts to shoot the intruder that snuck up on him.
He fails.
Whatever it was, it grabbed his gun arm with iron fingers.
And it squeezed tight like a vice grip.
And his arm snapped like a twig at the wrist and elbow.
Schultz was about to scream in pain but the thing grabbed him by the throat with equally powerful strength, silencing him.
The mysterious attacker pulled Schultz close and he got a good look at the thing that accosted him.
It was indeed metallic but too dark to see it for what it truly was.
However, it clearly had a black and dark purple finish.
It had an indifferent sneer as though it were observing an insect that it was about to step on.
Its eyes were the worst part.
Glowing red and they've shown with such hatred and rage that the look alone seemed to break Schultz.
"W-What…" Schultz managed to choke out. "...a-are you?"
The being did not answer. He simply stepped back, with his captive in hand, into the darkness of the alley.
Schultz struggles, trying to escape, but it was useless. The iron grip of the creature was too great.
He feels the grip tighten. His gun arm is released and the being reaches for Schultz' head.
And then in the fraction of a second, Schultz feels his head jerk.
He hears a wet snap.
And he knew no more.
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Lorna saw the shadowy outline of her attacker fall to the ground, motionless and broken.
She blankly stared at the body for a long moment, not quite believing what she just saw.
But then her shock immediately wore off when she noticed her impromptu savior stare at her.
It was staring at her with those horrible hellfire eyes.
"Oh no," Lorna whispered, her heart thumping, her panic turning to desperation. "Oh no no!" She looks down and attempts to start her car but it would not.
She looks back up and sees that the creature is gone.
She looks about and sees nothing but darkness.
She unlocks her car and steps out.
She steps toward the alleyway but stops when she steps in something wet.
She looks down and she gasps sharply to see wet arterial blood, pooling on the concrete.
She steps back, loses her footing, and as she falls, one of her black high heels falls off.
Fortunately, her Lincoln was right behind her to break her fall and she caught herself on the hood with both hands.
Exhausted and drained by the high stakes situation she just experienced, Mrs Klingenschmidt lays down on the hood of her car.
And as she glances at the night sky, she sees the silhouette of a very strange bird that seemed to shine in the moonlight.
And she hears its cry, it almost sounded like that of a bird of prey after it caught its quarry.
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Laserbeak perched on one of the four eagle-like structures on the top of the Chrysler Building, overlooking the massive megaplex that was New York City.
"The woman saw you?" He said, sounding displeased.
"Not exactly Beaky. It was dark so she didn't see all of me."
Laserbeak growled. "Do not call me that Rumble."
"Sorry. Anyway, she's not a target, so I left her."
Laserbeak glowered. This was unfortunate. Witnesses would alert MECH of the plot that would bring about their destruction. Then again, witnesses of the carnage would strike fear into the hearts of MECH and all who collaborate with them. Besides, these humans were merely organized criminal elements. The foolish human law enforcement and media will surely dismiss this as a mob hit.
And a rather messy one at that.
"Fair enough. We begin phase two. Now."
"Roger Roger."
Laserbeak raised an eyebrow. What the?
He shook his head. Must be a human cultural reference that I could care less about.
With that, Laserbeak left his perch and took off to the skies, and disappeared into the night sky in a flash of black.
To be continued…
VOICE CAST
Unknown caller - Jim Cummings
Schultz - Kevin Michael Richardson
Longo - Charlie Adler
Lorna Klingenschmidt - Tara Strong
Laserbeak - Robin Atkin Downes
Rumble - Reno Wilson