Chapter Twelve:
:You may be too late, Optimus. My sensors just picked up an explosion at the human woman's home: Silverbolt sent them a transmission as the Autobots raced towards Maeve's home in Tranquility. As an Aerialbot, Silverbolt was able to pick up things for miles that the others' sensors could not.
Optimus growled in frustration. Slag it, Ironhide, you idiot! He cycled his vents before he responded.
:Thank you, Silverbolt. Keep me updated. We should be there shortly: Optimus and the others sped down the city street, Prowl in front as his lights blazed, his sirens screaming. Humans in their vehicles in front of them scrambled to get out of the way for the strange convoy.
Optimus had told Bumblebee to remain at the back of the convoy, as part of his punishment for what he had done earlier that day and for what was now occurring at the woman's home and partly because of his two human charges. Bumblebee had obliged, while Sam and Mikaela watched in wonder at what was going on, and curious as to what was going to happen when they reached their destination. Bumblebee had given them only a summary of what Ironhide had done, and they were anxious to find out what was really going on and how everything would resolve itself.
Sam was admittedly worried for the human law enforcement officer. He hoped that Ironhide would not do anything stupid.
I can only hope we are not too late, Optimus thought. He had attempted to contact Ironhide and Ratchet but had received no response, which infuriated him. This day was degenerating faster than he had anticipated.
Truth be told, Optimus was worried about what he would find at the human officer's home. Ironhide was one of his trusted officers, one of his best warriors, but his stubbornness and bloodthirsty nature aggravated Optimus. Prime hoped that he would not find human bodies at the woman's home. The ramifications of that prospect were almost too much to bear.
The explosion lifted Maeve off her feet, and then slammed her onto the ground. She instinctively had placed her injured hand and wrist out to lessen the impact, and groaned in pain as white flashes spread across her vision, her wrist burning. As the white flashes subsided, she gazed up and saw Barricade standing in front of her, and one very large, very pissed off looking black robot standing on the other side of her ruined house. This new robot looked terrifying, his blue optics glaring at Barricade with sharp intensity.
She looked around her in panic, trying to find her friends. Sighing in relief, she noticed Jack and his wife. Jack and Janet were huddling down the hill of her backyard, Jack wiping blood from Janet's forehead as Janet screamed uncontrollably in panic.
Her emotions shaking her, Maeve looked back at her home.
Her house. In burning smithereens.
She blinked. Seriously, how much worse could this day get? She looked up at the other robot, who was pointing his whirring blue cannons at Barricade. She didn't fight the rage that filled her, her entire body shaking. Seeing those cannons caused her heart to seize in panic, and then... rage. Pain was forgotten.
Oh fuck this, they aren't hurting him! This ends NOW! She angrily thought to herself, grasping her Glock to her side as she pushed herself to her knees. First the yellow psycho, and now this one? She decided she didn't much like this "Autobot" faction, at all, and this asshole pointing his cannons at her Barricade was going to hear about it first and foremost.
She didn't even notice how she thought of him as her Barricade.
Shakily, she stood up, her body throbbing. The other mech was screaming garbled incomprehensible language at Barricade, and she noticed Barricade said nothing in return.
She couldn't help but notice the antagonistic stare Barricade gave the other one, the nonchalant stance that portrayed so much without unnecessary words, the utter lack of… caring that he portrayed. He was goading the other one without saying a word… and it was working.
Maeve couldn't stop the smirk from forming, until she looked again at the charred smoking pile of wood and mortar that used to be her home. She fixed her gaze on the other mech, anger etched on her face. Her lips quivered in anger as she placed a hand on Barricade's leg, steadying herself.
Barricade looked down at her. He felt her anger and her horror. He also felt that she was extremely angry at the Autobots. He tried not to think how this was all possible. He had an idea, but even then he knew this went far beyond that.
"That bastard is going to effing get it for blowing up my house." She growled. Barricade smirked in response. A human hating Ironhide just as he did? Oh, he couldn't have asked for more. He looked back up at Ironhide. His disgust and fury flowed through his fuel lines. How he wanted to blast the bastard, as Ironhide had done to Maeve's home. So much for Autobot ideals… blow up a human home, screw the ramifications, just to get to a Decepticon?
Of course, Barricade had done far worse things, but he was a Decepticon after all. The hypocrisy of the Autobots, after all that had gone on this day, was extremely aggravating. At least Barricade was true to his nature; the Autobots had only hid behind their precious perfect "ideals".
Hmph, Ironhide certainly hadn't changed much in the past millenia. Not like Barricade ever truly thought that the "Autobot" had. Ironhide was bloodthirsty on and off the field of battle, and always had been. He couldn't change his core functioning, no matter how hard the Autobot had tried.
Then how have you? Barricade scowled at the little voice in his processor and ignored it.
Optimus and the others had finally arrived to the semi-rural area in which Maeve lived. Optimus was at least glad to see that there weren't any close neighbors as he assessed the situation.
Ironhide was pointing his cannons menacingly towards the backyard of the woman's burning home, while Ratchet and William Lennox were pleading with him to power down his weapons. Arcee was standing behind Ratchet with a perplexed look upon her metallic features; while the human NEST members who had arrived with Ironhide, Ratchet and Arcee, were scattered around the street, clearly at a loss of what to do.
Optimus had immediately transformed upon reaching the scene, his weapons primed. Primus, please let the human be alive. Please.
He saw Barricade in the backyard of the home, in a protective sort of stance. Barricade's weapons were primed and whirring in agitation, but they were pointed not at the mechs, or at anything. There were merely primed, in defense, and Barricade showed no sign of wishing to fight. Odd.
Optimus was shocked as he scanned the area around Barricade and found a woman tensed, with a human weapon, in front of Barricade. That was rather strange, to see a human femme so carelessly place herself in danger, especially in front of a 'Con like Barricade. Perhaps this was Barricade's charge? At least she is alive then.
Optimus did not have time to dwell on it. He had other more concerning things… such as a bloodthirsty Ironhide.
The woman's home was a solemn mess of charred wood and collapsed walls, with a few tiny fires that had not yet reduced to cinders. The roof was nonexistent. Ironhide had clearly shot first without asking questions. Optimus cycled his vents in annoyance as he sent a nasty glare Ironhide's way. Ironhide didn't even notice, as he gloated and smiled.
"Optimus! Finally! Can I kill this blasted glitch of a 'Con now?" Ironhide growled as he noticed his leader approaching. Ratchet and Optimus glared at him, their unhappiness clear. Ironhide's optics went wide as he recoiled from the glares, and the clear disappointment present in Optimus' optics.
"Power down your weapons immediately, Ironhide!" Optimus said vehemently. Ironhide's face fell even further, and he practically pouted, as much as an alien mechanical being could, as he did what his leader had ordered.
"Take all the fun out of life, then," Ironhide grumbled, and Optimus shot another angry glare towards him.
"What I want to know, Ironhide, is why the human female's home has been destroyed, and why you were pointing your cannons at said human female. You better have a damn good explanation for this." Optimus growled, and Ironhide waffled under the intense scrutiny of his Prime.
"Uh, because he's a 'Con and she isn't a hum-…"
"Oh, shut it, you worthless fragger." Ratchet huffed as he interrupted Ironhide, his arms crossed over his chestplate in irritation. "I told you! Should have just put you into stasis lock when we got here, you pit-spawned nitwit." Ratchet grumbled, as he held a wrench in one hand.
"Still don't believe she's real, and besides, the fraggin' glitch of a 'Con is still a threat." Ironhide grumbled.
An irritated huff, movement out of the corner of their optics, and then the human woman was walking towards them, her human weapon held to her side. Barricade followed; menace written across his faceplate. The other two humans, Janet and Jack, followed him slowly: hesitant.
Maeve breathed in ragged breaths as she stared at the assorted mechs and femme; the look on her face reflecting the rage she felt within.
Ratchet scanned the woman, noting her injuries in dismay, the blood staining her shirt, the deep bruises and… the scars. Every mech could not help but see the bright white scars tracing across her chest, shoulders and arms. The most predominant one stood out to him, as he could see the large bruise surrounding the three-inch bright scar on her left collarbone. He could detect no fear in her, no elevated cortisol levels. Her adrenaline levels and blood pressure had skyrocketed, but her cortisol levels were relatively normal. She was staring at them not with fear, but with anger... and familiarity. This young woman had seen battle with Cybertronians long before this day, he was sure of it.
:Ironhide, do not press her, she is already wounded…:Ratchet warned the old warrior, but Ironhide ignored him as he watched the law enforcement officer get as close as she dared. She stared up at him, not in wonder as he was used to, but with pure fury.
"I'm not real? Is the blood on my face not real, then? The scars you see, they aren't real? The heart beating in my chest? My pulse?" Maeve's voice was low, but her tone was full of wrath. "Is none of it real? Are you so dense that you cannot see the truth?"
Ironhide could not help the snarl that escaped him. Barricade moved closer to Maeve in response, and immediately found himself looking at Ironhide's cannons. He raised his own weapons in defense, snarling as he did so. It was a standoff, one which Barricade knew Ironhide would most likely win. At this point, his core programming was warring with his spark's need to protect the woman.
"Touch one hair on her head, and your spark shall be extinguished before you hit the ground." Barricade warned, his red optics sparkling with ferocious intensity. Even if he could not win a fight against Ironhide, he couldn't help but antagonize the Autobot weapon's specialist. Both of them gave each other menacing looks, practically daring each other to shoot. Optimus and Ratchet prepared to move in to grab Ironhide when they stopped, noticing the human's reaction.
Maeve looked up at the two robots before her and rolled her eyes.
"ENOUGH!" Maeve bellowed. "Put down your weapons. Now."
"And why should I listen to you, holoform?" Ironhide never took his eyes off of Barricade as Maeve bristled at his feet.
"I AM NOT A DAMN HOLOFORM! Argh! You stupid maniacal piece of worthless tin! DAMN you!" Maeve screamed up at him. She was half tempted to jump on him and claw at all of his exposed wires until he bled whatever it was they bled. As it was, she raised her handgun, prepared to shoot if the mech said one more thing to piss her off. She didn't give a rat's ass if the bullets did nothing against the larger robot.
Ironhide stared at her in wonder, and then laughed gruffly.
"Your human weapons are insignificant. Put it down."
"Make me." Maeve threatened. Adrenaline pulsed through her veins, her heartbeat roaring in her ears.
You are suicidal, taking on one of these things again! She ignored the little voice in her head, tightening her grip on her Glock.
"Put down the weapon, now, human." Ironhide sneered, his cannons pulsating.
"Ironhide, stop this." Optimus warned his soldier, quietly. Ironhide ignored him.
Maeve couldn't help but smile. "No, I won't. You first. What was it you said of Barricade? Fraggin' glitch or something like that? Sounds like you right about now." Maeve knew she had pushed her luck when she saw the unmistakable fury cross the mech's faceplate.
She dove out of the way as blue searing hot energy flew past her, slamming into the earth right next to where she had been seconds before. The mech could have killed her, she knew. He had missed deliberately, and that certainly caught her attention. The other mechs around him were tense now; the red and blue one especially looked murderous.
Okay, maybe antagonizing him wasn't a good idea, she thought. Barricade flew in front of her as she shakily got to her feet.
"I warned you, Ironhide." The threat was clear as his blades whirred, his gun pulsating red in anticipation.
Ironhide snarled, moving closer. "All you're good for is the scrap heap, Barricade. And I'll be the one to send you there!"
"Ironhide, stand down now. Last warning I am going to give before you are put into stasis lock!" Optimus ordered, his optics radiating with suppressed rage. This situation was deteriorating, fast.
Barricade smirked at Optimus' order, and Ironhide roared in frustration. Deliberately disobeying his Prime, he stepped forward again, pushing the very limits of Barricade's, and especially Ratchet's and Optimus', patience. But Barricade's very survival and Maeve's depended on the outcome of this situation. Barricade knew his antagonizing was going to become fatal for the both of them if he did not desist.
With a very quiet sigh, he powered down his weapons, and merely stood in front of Maeve, a defiant look he couldn't stop echoing across his faceplate. But everyone there knew what it meant… to get to her, they would have to go through him. The meaning of a 'Con protecting a human femme was not lost on some of the Autobots, least of all Optimus.
Optimus knew then that she was indeed Barricade's charge. He almost stepped forward to forcibly remove Ironhide from the situation, until he noticed Prowl. Perhaps it was better to let Prowl take over.
"Ironhide, stand down now." Prowl had inched himself closer during the confrontation until he was standing directly next to Barricade, his own weapons primed and aimed at his Autobot companion even though Barricade had lowered his own weapons.
"This ends now. You are acting irrationally, and you will spend multiple mega-cycles in the brig if you do not lower your weapons. As is, as soon as we return to base, you will be spending some time in the brig for deliberate insubordination, and if you do not stop this, I will ensure that your stay is with complete sensory disruption. Two mechs in one day disobeying their Prime, has discipline in the ranks reached an all-time low?" Prowl growled, scowling; as Ironhide's optics widened in surprise, and anger.
"Prowl? What are you doing here? Never mind that, are you aligning yourself with the Con then, Prowl? I would've thought you knew better. Or are you allowing your brother," Ironhide spat, "to control your rationality about the situation?" Ironhide's faceplate clearly echoed the anger he felt as he snarled again.
Prowl stiffened, while Barricade powered his weapons again in anger. Epps' jaw dropped as he gaped at the mechs, while Lennox's eyebrows were threatening to disappear into his hairline.
CLANG!
"Ahhhh!" Ironhide screamed out in pain.
Ratchet had finally had enough, sending the wrench he had been carrying spiraling hard into the back of Ironhide's head.
:Enough, Ironhide. The only mech who is being irrational is you. I will place you in stasis lock if you do not stand down, and I will personally place you in the brig myself and ensure that you are immobile for a very long time with complete sensory disruption if you do not stop this insanity!: Ratchet's threat was menacing. Several of the Autobots stepped closer to the old warrior, a move that signified to Ironhide that the threat was real.
Ironhide finally harrumphed and powered down his weapons. Prowl looked expectantly at Barricade to do the same, and Barricade cycled his vents in annoyance. He did not trust the Autobots, especially now, and Prowl knew it.
:Please, brother. Do not place your femme in any more danger than she already is.: Prowl placed a hand on Barricade's arm as he sent the comment through their twin-bond. Barricade seethed at Prowl's comment, but finally powered down his weapons, but not before he sent a warning back.
:If they hurt her, I will kill them and I will not stop until all of their sparks are extinguished brutally and sent to Primus or the planet-eater for judgment. And you cannot stop me.:
Prowl cycled his vents in irritation as he gave one last knowing look to Barricade. He turned to his leader. Optimus was now looking rather bemused by the situation, now that he knew the situation wasn't as dire has it been, while the other Autobots shifted uncomfortably. Ratchet was looking absolutely murderous as he sent several scathing looks in Ironhide's direction.
Prowl, on the other hand, was feeling rather exposed to the humans in Tranquility, and quickly scanned the human police frequency channels. What he heard worried him.
"Optimus, we must leave. The humans will be here shortly. I suggest we move, immediately. Take the human and Barricade with us."
Barricade growled, "No."
Maeve took a step closer to him. She was as uncomfortable as he was with this suggestion.
"Do not make this harder than it already is, Barricade." Prowl had lost all patience with the entire situation. If the human officers arrived, even with Jack and Maeve there, their entire cover could be ruined. Enough incidents had occurred lately that had been aired on the Autobot frequencies that Prowl knew their cover was on extremely thin ice.
"I will not go with you, and she certainly won't be. You know why." Barricade growled. The other Autobots, besides Prowl and Optimus, and their human allies looked curiously between the two police cruiser Cybertronians.
Optimus cycled his vents loudly, as he judged his options. He knew what he had to do, but he wasn't sure the Decepticon would acquiesce.
"Barricade, I am offering you, and only you, a truce at this moment. We cannot let the human public discover us and we have dallied here too long. At least follow us to an airstrip, and from there we will decide what shall happen. Please." Optimus' voice was cool and collected.
Ironhide, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker could not help but growl at the suggestion. Giving the Deceptiscum a choice was unimaginable.
Barricade huffed at Optimus' offer. Still, he considered. He didn't trust them, but he also knew the consequences if they were discovered. Megatron would not allow his defection to go unpunished, and Starscream and Dead End could not be allowed to know where he was. Soundwave would relish in his torture. They may have known where Maeve was, but it had become far too dangerous for her to stay in Tranquility any longer anyway, especially now. Saving his own skin, and hers, was most important; his mission could not be abandoned because of this change in plans.
He looked down at the little human woman, who was still haughtily holding up her handgun in a defensive position. She didn't trust them either, and that was strangely comforting to him. The other two humans, Jack and his spouse Janet, were still crouched behind him, clearly terrified. He cycled his vents, feeling defeated.
He had no choice. His mission must go on, even with this most unfortunate and irritating development.
Maeve stepped forward; her lips pressed thinly together as she finally holstered her handgun.
"I am not going anywhere with any of you. Take my friends home, but I am leaving, right now, right here, with Barricade and Barricade alone. And you cannot stop me." She sent a pointed look in Ironhide's direction, ignoring his agitated hiss as she placed her full attention on Optimus Prime.
Optimus looked thoughtful. He was not comfortable with letting Barricade leave. However, Barricade's actions this day, and his clear absence over the past few years, made Optimus pause. Something had obviously changed within the Decepticon. And the human woman was correct; he could not stop her, unless he wanted to take away her freedom, which he would not do. Optimus was in a quandary, and he knew the course he had to take.
Still, curiosity about the human law enforcement officer burned within his spark.
"Before you leave, Officer McWilliams, will you answer one question?" Optimus asked, and Maeve stared at him in surprise. She narrowed her eyes at him. She wondered what his question could be.
"Uh… okay." She answered, a tad uncomfortable.
Optimus leaned down, his optics on the same level as Maeve's eyes as he simply asked, "Why are you not afraid of us?"
Barricade froze, his quadruple scarlet optics staring at his human charge in fearful anticipation. Arcee and the Elder Twins gave him wary looks at the movement.
Maeve gazed at Optimus as she fought to keep the turbulent emotions hiding underneath the surface from erupting. She took a deep breath, collecting her thoughts, before she answered, "Today is not the first time I have seen your species, nor is today the first time I have been hurt by them. The details are immaterial at this moment. Perhaps when you get your homicidal Autobots in line, you shall learn the entire story. Now, may I go, or do I have to plead and beg permission like a petulant child?"
Optimus now brimmed with even more questions, but the Matrix within his chest vibrated softly, warning him not to ask any further questions of the human female. From what he could gather from the knowledge buried in his Matrix, he knew he would see this human again and have plenty of time to ask her the questions that burned within.
He nodded slightly as he stood slowly. "You are not our prisoner. Freedom is your right."
Barricade almost snorted at the cliché Optimus line, which the Autobot leader gave far too often in his opinion but was able to keep the snort from escaping his vocal outputs. Luckily for Barricade, no one noticed the strange look on his faceplate or his struggle to keep quiet.
Maeve analyzed the situation quickly and knew that no one would stop them. She nodded at Barricade, gesturing for them to leave. Barricade looked around at the Autobots, and merely nodded to Maeve before transforming to his Saleen alt form. Jack moved quickly then, grabbing Maeve's duffel bag, all she had left of her belongings now, and placed it in the backseat of the Saleen for her, next to her SWAT bag. Neither of the humans even contemplated where the SWAT bag had gone when Barricade had transformed.
Jack met her glance, and Maeve whispered her thanks. Jack nodded, smiling sadly, and Maeve's eyes began to tear up. She reached over and gave him a quick hug.
"Jack, tell the team about this, I don't care what the fuck form they make you sign. I'll be in touch. If something happens to me and I get the word to you, you let the boys know, and you get them to find me, immediately. Thank you, for everything." She whispered very softly into his ear, and Jack merely nodded, choked up.
Janet rushed forward and also hugged her. Maeve thanked her for everything she had done, while Janet fussed over her, giving her tips to keep her wounds clean, and medications and wound care that would aid in her recovery being a speedy one.
With a smile aimed at her human friends, whom she wondered whether she would ever see again, Maeve stepped forward to Barricade's driver's side door. She turned back to look at the assorted Autobots. Her eyes settled on Optimus, and no one missed his nod of assent.
Sideswipe and Sunstreaker could not help but scowl and shift towards her. Their twin blades glinted in the light given off by the emergency lights of Prowl and Ratchet, their sharp deadliness certainly not missed by Maeve. The Elder Twins were just as uneasy with the situation as Ironhide, and it showed clearly.
Maeve worried those blades would find their way to Barricade and her. She tried not to let that worry show, instead hoping that her confidence was showing upon her face.
"This is not a good idea, Optimus. Allowing Barricade to flee is not right, nor a good idea!" Ironhide protested.
Maeve narrowed her eyes at the large warrior and hissed. Her irate tone was not missed as she glared at him, "Oh, go shove yourself into a toaster, you overgrown child. We're leaving, get over it... Fragging glitch!"
With that, she stepped into Barricade's alt form, and he sped away as fast as he dared. His respect level for the human had just grown a teensy bit after Maeve had told Ironhide he was a fragging glitch - twice. He hid a laugh. If only she knew what glitch meant, she might have known why it made Ironhide so angry. His frame shuddered as he tried to hide another laugh and tried to focus on getting them the hell away from Maeve's home.
Ironhide roared in frustration as Sideswipe and Sunstreaker grumbled to each other.
:Can't believe we're letting a 'Con get away, all for the sake of some stupid fleshling.: Sunstreaker sent irritably to his brother. Sideswipe harrumphed in response, crossing his arms over his chestplate. He agreed with his brother's assessment, though they knew better than to voice it around the humans and Optimus.
Ironhide turned to Optimus, the silent question obvious to all. That ridiculous human had gotten on his last nerve, all he wanted was for Optimus to lock up the brat and her Decepticon ally.
"No, Ironhide. Let them be." Optimus said before Ironhide could even mutter a word. Ironhide cursed to himself, his faceplate showing his aggravation.
"Optimus, you just let a 'Con go. She made her own decision to go with him, but he is a 'CON! We should be following him and then detain him! Let the human make her own choices, but to let a 'Con go is just insanity!" Sunstreaker could not keep his words back any longer.
Optimus turned to the yellow Lamborghini and nearly growled at the younger 'Bot, his optics sharp with displeasure.
"They are not to be followed. That is an order." Optimus' voice carried a tone of finality, which no 'Bot questioned, as much as they would have liked to.
Lennox turned to Epps as they walked over to the human couple they were to escort back to their home. "Well, that was a great first night back in the states."
Epps rolled his eyes. "Yeah, bad Decepticon cop meets good human cop, they somehow improbably hit it off like some crazy B-movie where the girl falls in love with the evil creep, Bumblebee goes crazy and Ironhide blows up the chick's house, and the 'Con STILL gets away, with the chick who thinks he's a knight in shining armor when he's really just an asshole in tinfoil. Yeah, that's totally a great first night, Will."
"I was just saying…."
"Shut it, Will."