Chapter Fourteen:
Barricade had certainly found an out of the way gas station. The place was easily 1950s kitsch, with peeling neon blue and green paint, a strange UFO like outward design, and faded lights that flickered on and off. It was a creepy "Route 66" type crumbling relic, and Maeve sighed as Barricade drove up to it.
As long as they had a clean restroom and running water, she didn't much care what the place looked like, even if it did have a crazy "serial killers love this place" look to it. Barricade rumbled over the cracking asphalt, and parked at the side of the old building.
He said nothing, popping open the driver side door.
Maeve hesitated before she stepped out, staring at Barricade's dash.
"Barricade… I just want to thank-"
"Get out." Barricade interrupted her harshly, and Maeve scowled.
Seriously, I just want to thank him, and he acts like an asshat? What the fuck?
"Well, fine then, be a jerkoff." She muttered as she stepped out of the Saleen in a hurry.
"Be careful. And be quick too, I don't want to be stuck here for long!" Barricade called out to her as she slammed the door, and Maeve couldn't help but glare at his alt mode.
Freaking grumpy ass, she thought, scowling even more.
Maeve realized after she had already walked to the doors of the old gas station that she had left her bag with Barricade, and hesitated; a hand stretched out to pull open the scratched and graffiti-covered glass door.
She looked around the gas station quickly, and noticed a family filling up a red minivan staring at her awkwardly from the gas pump, and whispering to themselves. Maeve sighed, knowing she must have been a sight, and walked into the store. Screw it, she didn't need her bag, she just needed to wash up. She could change in Barricade.
Maeve couldn't help but twitch at the thought.
"Welcome." The plump cashier called out to Maeve as she walked in to the old building. The cashier didn't even look at her, and Maeve noted the rather unenthusiastic tone and the drab and bored look of the woman. The woman was clearly more interested in the Simpsons episode on the small dingy TV hanging above the cigarettes behind the counter than Maeve. The few customers in the store gave glancing looks, until they noticed the dried blood and the dark bruises upon the law enforcement officer. Maeve ignored the inquisitive and even shocked looks about her "condition", and strode quickly towards the restrooms at the back of the store.
The light was poor inside the restroom as Maeve looked at herself in the grimy mirror. Dried blood traced down her forehead, rivulets trickling down her cheeks, and her face was deeply bruised. Her uniform was heavily stained, and her white tanktop was covered in soot and blood. Maeve cringed as she stared at herself.
She looked horrible, the dark bruises contrasting deeply with her fair skin, and the blood throwing up red flags for anyone who looked at her.
If none of these people call the cops about a hurt officer, I'll be effing surprised. Maeve thought. If she were out there, she would have called 911 at the state of herself.
Maeve exhaled, and grabbed some paper towels from the dispenser. After wetting them from the decrepit sink, she slowly wiped the blood and soot away. She couldn't help but wince at the pain as she dragged the coarse paper across her skin. After she had cleaned as much as the blood and soot away as she could, she stared at herself again in the mirror.
"Maeve, you look like utter hell." She whispered to herself, and sighed as she gripped the sink tightly, trying desperately to ignore the pain of her broken wrist, her ribs, her entire body.
She shut her eyes tight, struggling to contain the tears. Her wrist burned and her head ached as she slowly inhaled, then exhaled.
Once again, her life was upside down and she didn't even know why. The nightmare that had began in Mission City had continued, no matter how many times she had tried to start over, to move past what had happened there. She didn't want to contemplate why Barricade was her apparent guardian, or the real reason behind his interest in her. She didn't want to think of the Autobots, both the ones that wanted so desperately to imprison her, such as Ironhide, or the ones like Optimus who seemed genuinely caring and concerned.
She opened her eyes as a loud knock sounded on the restroom door. She sighed, and stood up straight. Time to go.
Opening the door quickly, she barely caught the surprised look on the heavyset woman's face standing on the other side of the door; her hand lifted in a fist as if she was going to knock again. Maeve smiled weakly at her, and moved quickly out of the way.
"Miss, are you okay?" The woman asked Maeve, concern evident in her voice and on her face. Maeve shook her head, holding a hand up.
"I'm fine. Don't worry about me." She replied, her voice cracking. Maeve deftly moved past the older woman, who continued staring at her, and quickly picked up a small First Aid kit, and a few food items and a bottle of water from the store's shelves. She carried everything gingerly to the front counter, trying not to hurt her wrist any more than it already was.
"This all, ma'am?" The bored cashier said as Maeve set everything down. The cashier did a double take at Maeve's bruised face and dirty uniform, and Maeve couldn't help but sigh. If everyone was going to react like this at how she looked, she was going to get tired of it real quickly.
"Yes, that's it." She said, weary. The cashier began to scan everything, and then placed it all in a plastic bag.
"That'll be $17.97."
Maeve pulled out her wallet; her wince not unnoticed by the cashier and handed her credit card to the cashier. The cashier smiled at her, and deftly swiped it. Her smile was replaced by a frown.
"I'm sorry, miss, but your card has been declined."
Maeve looked at her, bewildered. "What? What the hell do you mean declined?"
Suddenly, the Simpsons was interrupted on the small TV by a newscast and Maeve and the cashier looked up at it.
"We have just received word that a high-ranking official within the U.S. government and the Tranquility Police Department have released both state and federal warrants for the capture of Senior Patrol Officer Maeve McWilliams." The brunette newscaster said grimly.
Maeve paled when her Tranquility PD photo was splashed across the screen, and then in quick succession a TPD surveillance video of both her and Barricade in his alt mode from two days ago in the parking lot of the precinct.
Her mouth went dry.
"Officer McWilliams is being investigated for arson, endangering the public, dereliction of duty, theft of an emergency vehicle, trafficking in stolen goods, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and multiple charges of attempted murder. If you see this woman or her patrol vehicle, which has been stolen from the Tranquility Police Department, please contact the number at the bottom of your screen or call 911. It is urged that civilians do not attempt to take McWilliams down; she is armed and considered extremely dangerous. We will have more as this story develops. We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming."
The cashier gaped at Maeve in horror, and Maeve struggled to find words and then chose not to say anything at all.
She snatched her credit card back and grabbed a $20 bill from her wallet, flinging it at the woman. The cashier grabbed the phone and Maeve's eyes went wide. She gathered up her bag of things, and ran out of the store as the cashier belatedly screamed at the other customers to catch her as she spoke to what Maeve could only assume was 911.
"Barricade! We gotta go!" She yelled out as she ran to the Saleen, who flung open his driver's side door. She threw herself and the plastic bag of goods into the car, breathing heavily as Barricade slammed the door and peeled out of the parking lot.
"What the slag happened?" Barricade roared as he sped down the dark highway, and she jumped from his angered tone.
"If you can hack TV channels, you might want to check the broadcasts they're sending out. We, or at least me, are in big fucking trouble." She choked out, struggling to breathe evenly. This time, she didn't even try to keep back the tears that threatened to cascade down her cheeks. Her life, now, was essentially ruined, as well as her reputation. She didn't know who had done it, but she couldn't help but assume that the Autobots were involved in the warrant to catch her and imprison her on bullshit charges.
Barricade growled in anger as he hacked the broadcasts. She wasn't just in trouble, they both were. If Soundwave got a hold of these… Slag. Barricade knew that the other Decepticons would now know that he was alive – and with Maeve. Barricade did not know that the Decepticons already knew he was alive, if Dead End's comments to Maeve were any indication.
Their lives were both now in mortal danger. He shook the thoughts from his processor as he noticed that Maeve was on the verge of a complete breakdown in his alt mode. She was struggling to breathe, tears falling down her cheeks. He had to calm her down, somehow.
"These charges are absolutely ridiculous and will never hold up."
"You don't have to tell me that, I know. Someone clearly wants to find us though, and ruin my life more than it already is." Maeve whispered as tears dripped down her cheeks. Her body ached as she wished for the power of alcohol to erase all that happened in the last two days. All she wanted was to forget everything that happened, to wake up and see it was all a dream.
If only she were that lucky.
Barricade considered the woman, and knew precisely what he had to say. "I refuse to allow that to happen."
Maeve smiled weakly at his dashboard through her tears. "Thanks Barricade, but somehow I don't think we're going to get out of this too easily."
Barricade grumbled to himself as Maeve stared out the window at the passing desert landscape. Barricade had avoided using the interstate again, and they were now driving on a deserted and barely maintained county road, still headed east. She hoped no one would find them. Barricade could sense her anger... and her hopelessness.
He despaired, though he tried valiantly not to. This was not him. What had happened to him? He never used to care. He hated organics, he hated everything about this damn mudball planet. He was slowly learning that she was changing him more than everything else he had ever encountered.
He knew what he had to say.
"I swear to you, Maeve McWilliams, you shall be safe. No matter what anyone or anything tries to do." Barricade knew that he couldn't help her fears, or his own, but his spark urged him to try.
Maeve stared at his dashboard long and hard before she answered. She thought of everything that had occurred, and knew she could trust him. Still she had to ask, as sleep threatened to overcome her.
"Promise?"
"Always." Barricade answered quietly, and Maeve merely nodded as she turned to look out the window at the darkness. It was enough, for her. Sleep came quickly as Barricade sped along the desert landscape.
Barricade went silent as he tried to hack each signal and interfere with each broadcast that was now occurring in at least three different states. He knew it was only a matter of time before the national news media caught wind of the "story", and that it was only a matter of time before either the Decepticons or Autobots caught up with them. What would he and Maeve do then?
Optimus stared down at the Major, his optics revealing his curiosity.
"What has happened, Major?"
Major Lennox was scowling. "That effing bastard Galloway knows what happened here, and has contacted Tranquility PD and 'encouraged' them to go after Officer McWilliams. Apparently a Tranquility PD Sergeant has been cooperating fully with Galloway on this, and has actually been encouraging them to charge McWilliams with more charges. They've already put out federal and state warrants for her immediate capture and arrest and now they've put it on all TV broadcasts in California, Nevada and Arizona. It's a matter of time before they show up everywhere else, including the national news media. If the Decepticons didn't know Barricade is McWilliams' guardian, they will now. Apparently her photograph and a video of both her and his alt form are being used on broadcasts to warn the public about her. They're both in danger, Prime."
Prowl looked at the Major in alarm, and then fury crossed his faceplate as he accessed the broadcasts William Lennox spoke of.
The other mechs also watched the broadcasts on the internal communications systems, and their reactions varied. Ironhide was clearly gleeful, while Ratchet and Arcee exchanged worried glances. Bumblebee moved towards his humans, muttering quietly to them, explaining the situation. The Elder Twins were conversing quietly, and it was clear to those around them that they were on the same page as Ironhide on how this was a "positive development".
Optimus himself was furious. Director Galloway had once again overstepped his bounds, and Optimus wondered if General Morshower knew what was occurring. He quickly sent an email to the General, demanding that he and the Joint Chiefs of Staff issue an immediate cease and desist of the public broadcasts. They did not know enough about the McWilliams woman to completely destroy her life and reputation as was occurring.
Frankly, Optimus was also curious on just how Galloway had discovered what had occurred in Tranquility and at the human officer's home. Clearly a TPD Sergeant had been speaking with the man, but he also knew that someone from within NEST had to have given the information to both Galloway and the TPD Sergeant. He knew none of his Autobots, even Ironhide, would have ever given the information to the loathed man or the unknown Sergeant, but he wondered about the human soldiers in his midst.
Optimus also knew that the woman's superior would never have given her up. His loyalty had been clearly outlined in the incident at the woman's home.
He stared at the human soldiers, making sure not to let his suspicions show in his optics. Clearly this was something he would have to speak of to Major Lennox and Robert Epps for certain, when the other soldiers were not present.
Prowl turned to Prime, his vocal outputs struggling to contain his rage. "Prime, these charges are bogus, trumped up, and they are placing Barricade and Officer McWilliams in direct danger. We must find them before the Decepticons or humans do."
Optimus shortly nodded in acknowledgment as Ironhide stepped forward.
"What is so important about her, Prowl? You still haven't answered that, and we need to know it before we move in to find them." Ironhide pointed out, a smug tone clear to all. He was clearly enjoying this turn of events, and Ratchet struggled with himself not to smack the weapons specialist with another wrench.
Prowl glared at the weapons specialist and cycled his vents angrily before he spoke. "Fine, Ironhide, since you so desperately want to know."
Prowl cycled his vents again, glaring at the black Topkick, turning his attention to Optimus Prime, "The Decepticons want her, specifically Starscream. I am not aware of Megatron knowing that she even exists, but Starscream is certainly interested her to the point of where he has gone after her in the past and has sent other mechs after her. I am still unsure of the exact reason why they want her, but I believe from Barricade's offhand comments that she has a shard of the Allspark. Dead End was sent after her six months ago by Starscream, and she barely survived his assault. Barricade has known about her since Mission City, and I do not know the circumstances of how as he never told me. Either way, he has dedicated himself to being her Guardian, and will protect her from any mech, regardless of faction. That is all the knowledge I possess about her."
Prowl glared again at Ironhide, his optics radiating with pure hatred. "Are you happy now, you slagging twit?"
The other Autobots were stunned, to say the least. Ironhide stared at Prowl in shock.
"She has a shard of the Allspark? And you did not think that was pertinent information to share until NOW?" Ironhide exclaimed angrily.
Prowl rolled his optics. Ironhide had gone too far this day for him to care any longer about keeping his thoughts to himself. "Kiss my skidplate, you strutless metal aft."
Ironhide gaped at the Chief Security Officer before he started cursing Prowl in Cybertronian.
:Did Prowl just tell Ironhide what I thought he did?: Sunstreaker sent to his brother over their comlink.
:Never thought I'd hear that 'Bot say something like that.: Sideswipe responded with a short nod.
:You and me both, brother. You and me both.:
Optimus was silent, contemplating these newest developments while he ignored the bickering.
Prowl, having decided not to antagonize Ironhide any further, was staring at Optimus with a guarded look, clearly wondering how Optimus would proceed. Optimus couldn't blame him, as any decision Optimus made had to deal directly with Prowl's spark-twin. He also knew that Prowl would leave to find Barricade and the woman even without Optimus' permission.
Prowl would not willingly lose his spark-twin for a second time.
Galloway had forced Optimus' hand, as the humans would say. It was clear now that Barricade and the human were in danger, both from humans and the Decepticons. As much as he loathed having to go after them when it was clearly Officer McWilliams' wish to be left alone, he knew that they had no choice. The Decepticon and especially Officer McWilliams were not safe.
Optimus looked at his Autobots, and the humans, and made his decision.
"We must find Barricade and Officer McWilliams, judging by the information that we have learned. They are to be taken in alive and unharmed," Optimus glared at Ironhide, and Ironhide pointedly avoided the optic contact. "When they are found, they are to be brought to our secondary base and held there. I will be sending a datapack to Red Alert to set up an area in which Barricade can be held."
Optimus turned to Prowl. "Old friend, we will not harm your brother unless he represents a threat to any Autobot. Please, if there is any way to establish contact with him, tell him that he and the human female will be safe at our base and to bring themselves there. If they do not, though, Prowl, we will have to find them and bring them in. I wish for the easiest and safest conclusion, so please try your hardest to contact him."
Optimus then turned his attention to Ratchet, after Prowl had nodded his assent briefly. "Ratch, that means you will need to fix Prowl's errors. Right now, we will all head back to the secondary base as soon as Fireflight arrives. Blaster will be helping us ascertain any information on where Barricade and the human female have gone and from there we shall determine the necessary course of action."
Ratchet nodded curtly, and the other Autobots acknowledged their Prime's directives as the humans gathered around Major Lennox. Prowl kept his thoughts to himself, and stared up at the stars as they all waited for Fireflight. He wondered where his brother and the human were. His spark ached. He hoped Barricade would keep himself safe.
He didn't know if he could handle losing his brother… again.
Sam was exhausted when Fireflight finally arrived at the out of the way airstrip near Tranquility. With all that had happened over the last day, he wondered what he and Mikaela would do when the 'Bots returned to the base. If he was honest with himself, he didn't want to go back to college. It seemed rather pointless, and frankly he had greatly missed the Autobots and the camaraderie he had come to love amongst them.
Truth be told, the young man was anxious to be with Bumblebee and the other Autobots. College was a moot point when the Decepticons were still on the loose. Just how much longer until they came after him again?
Sam had made up his mind. Somehow, some way, he was going to the Autobots' secondary base.
He just had no idea how to approach the idea with the 'Bots, not to even mention his parents, when so much had gone on in the past twenty four hours. Besides that, he was clueless on how Mikaela would respond. Her father was doing well with her shop, but Sam knew that Mikaela worried. Would she want to leave her dad when she hadn't seen Sam for so long and yet was still helping her dad get back on his feet?
Brushing a hand through his dark brunette hair as he leaned against Bumblebee, Sam contemplated all that had happened in his short life. He had met Mikaela, and had fallen in love with her. He was friends with giant alien "robots" from outer space, and one was his Guardian, whom he thought of as a brother. He had watched Optimus die, his spark extinguished in that far away forest on the East Coast. He had gone to Egypt to save Optimus, and the Earth, from the Fallen's evil schemes. He had died, been brought back, and had made sure that Optimus had been resurrected. The Autobots had won that battle, but they still had not won the war.
Megatron and Starscream, and the Decepticon horde, were still at large. From what Bumblebee had told him, the Decepticons were definitely searching for something on the North American continent. Sam couldn't help but wonder if they were searching for him. And yet, with the Alice pretender, the 'Cons surely already knew where he had been and there had been no attacks on the college or towards him after the events in which the Fallen had tried to destroy the world.
So... what were the 'Cons searching for? Were they searching for Allspark fragments? Or did that woman that Barricade so irrationally protected, considering his prior nature, have anything to do with their fanatical searching?
Sam didn't know. All he knew was that he was going with the Autobots, and that college was no longer something he wished to pursue. And really, if he had to, he could take online courses. College was useful for normal people... and he was certainly not normal.
He gazed at Mikaela, her thin form shadowed from the artificial light that a few of the Autobots gave off. She was chewing on a fingernail nervously as she stared at Optimus, Ratchet and Prowl conversing quietly at the other end of the runway. Silverbolt and Fireflight sat next to each other on the faded asphalt, silent.
Sam had made up his mind. He loved Mikaela, and hoped that she would choose to go with him. But if she did not, he would still always be there for her. As far as he was concerned, he was not going to give up on their relationship, and that with the secondary base so much closer than his college campus had been, surely she would be okay with his decision to move there. At least their long distance relationship would not be as far as it had been.
Sam walked up to her, and slid a hand around her hip. Mikaela looked at him, and smiled.
"Mikaela, I need to talk to you."
Her smile faltered as her light green eyes narrowed.
"About what?"
Sam faltered this time and struggled to find the right words. "Just... something. Take a walk with me, babe."
Her eyes still narrowed; Mikaela hesitantly agreed. He led her into the desert scrub lining the runway. Sam didn't speak until they were well away from the Autobots and the other humans.
"Mikaela, I'm not going back to college." Sam spoke quietly, twisting his fingers together and refusing to look at her. He missed the surprised look on Mikaela's face.
"Why?"
"It doesn't feel right. I need to be with the Autobots. College is for normal people, and I sure as hell am not normal. I'm getting barely passing grades, and it's been way too hard on 'Bee. I don't belong there." Sam rushed, stealing glances at Mikaela as his own face reflected the sheepishness he felt.
Mikaela sighed. "I wondered when you'd quit going to school. I think we all knew it wasn't right for you."
Sam couldn't help the bright look that dashed across his face. "Really? Are you okay with it?"
"Sam, I love you. At least you'll be closer now. Well... if they don't send you to Diego Garcia." Mikaela smiled, a slight sadness darkening her features. If Sam was sent to Diego Garcia, she would have to makes some tough choices. Such as leaving her dad, her business, and everything she had ever known. Mikaela honestly didn't know if she could be that selfless, to leave just to be with Sam. She loved him, she truly did; but would she be able to make those sacrifices if they were called for?
Mikaela quietly sighed, hoping against hope that it never came down to that. But knowing the Autobots and the trouble they always seemed to get into and bring Sam into? At some point, she'd have to make those choices. Until then, she'd stay in Tranquility and hope for the best. She didn't want to let Sam go.
Sam's eyes were bright, his smile showing his bright white teeth; happiness exuded from the young man in great qualities. He hugged Mikaela tightly.
"Thanks, babe, for understanding."
"Of course. Love you, Sam." Mikaela said, Sam completely missing the sad tint in her eyes. There were hard choices ahead of them, and Sam, typically, was clueless.
"Love you too, 'Kaela." He smiled and ran off to Bumblebee. Now all Sam had to do was to bring it up to the Autobots... and then somehow explain it to his waiting parents back in Tranquility. Sam knew he'd be using a phone for that conversation, no way would he let his mother guilt him into staying in college now. The two of them hurried to Silverbolt and Fireflight, as the Autobots began to board both planes back to the Northern Arizona base. Mikaela could always catch a flight back to Tranquility.
Sam couldn't help but let loose a relieved sigh as he realized he could call his parents from the secondary base. It would make the conversation with his parents easier.
A few hours later...
The neon lights cast their bright glow on the Saleen's windows as Maeve lifted her head. Dawn was just beginning to break in the east over the mountains near Las Vegas while the casinos still beckoned with their neon and kitschy charm. She had slept little on the drive to the glittering and bustling city, as her body ached and whined in pain. She rubbed her eyes of the little sleep she had gotten as she stared about at the casinos dotting the nearly deserted Strip. Las Vegas? Seriously?
What the FUCK are we doing here?
She stared at the dashboard in front of her in confusion.
"Barricade, what are we doing here? Won't they find us here?"
"We are only driving through, and I will not stop for anyone. Do not worry."
"We passed Mission City then, haven't we?" Maeve whispered; her voice tiny. She was glad she had not been awake for that.
"Yes, we have. If you wish to recha- uh, sleep more, I will darken my windows so the dawn and coming sunlight shall not wake you." Barricade replied. He knew what Mission City represented to Maeve, and while Maeve didn't know it, he had deliberately kept his route as far clear of the city as he could when they passed it. It had meant a very long drive, adding on hours to the trip to Vegas, but it was favorable to the alternative and had allowed himself time to think, and Maeve time to rest. The last thing he needed was another frantic and tearful episode.
He had been more glad than he had anticipated when she had slept through that trip.
Maeve yawned and nodded at his dash. "I definitely need to sleep more, if more crazy shit like the past few days keeps happening." She popped the seat back and settled herself as comfortably as she could, resting her broken wrist upon her chest as she closed her eyes.
The coming days are going to get worse. Sleep, my little human, sleep. You shall need it. Barricade thought to himself, and then wondered when he was supposed to recharge himself. He had to at least get into Arizona, once there perhaps he could find an out of the way area to recharge, at least for a bit. An hour or so more drive time, and they should be safe enough for him to do so. He sped up, hurrying to get away from the large human city. He was aching to recharge just as much as Maeve.