CHAPTER TWO
--Cybertron--
"...And just how long have you been hearing this voice?"
"A few days now," Blitzwing muttered, looking despondent as he lay on a berth. "I just don't understand it. I thought I was making progress. I haven't heard the other two voices in nearly a year."
Rung folded his hands in his lap. "Is this voice different than the others?"
"Yeah, it's not as... distinctive. There's no primary personality trait to it. It's more... normal. Like another person living in my head."
"When was the last time you heard it?"
"Just an hour ago." Blitzwing scowled as he tapped his helm. "Of course, now it's not saying a word...."
"I can schedule you for a psyche-evaluation tomorrow," Rung said. "In the meantime, I suggest you try and treat this voice like the others. It could be the separate personalities are merging together, which is why it doesn't sound as distinct."
Blitzwing looked up at him. "And... is that a good thing?"
"That depends on how it develops."
The Triple Changer sighed as he sat up. "All right. Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow then."
Rung watched as the Decepticon exited the room. Once he was gone, the psychiatrist pulled open a drawer and drew out a datapad. He turned it on and ran his optics down the list of names.
Chromedome, Broadside, Hardhead, Perceptor... now Blitzwing. Rung frowned to himself. This was starting to become too much of a coincidence if all of these bots were hearing voices in their heads. He would have to approach High Command about this.
A knock sounded at the door. "Come in," Rung said.
A teal-green bot stepped in, his joints creaking as he sat down on the berth. "Hey, Eyebrows," Kup grunted. "Didn't think it would take this long to see you like this again, but, ah, here I am." He let out a heavy sigh. "Y'see... I've been hearin' voices...."
--Earth--
"I don't understand," Raf muttered as the sentient police car drove him and Verity down a deserted road. "What did we do wrong?"
"You did nothing wrong, Rafael Esquivel," Stakeout said over his radio. Unlike most Autobots, he did not utilize a holomatter avatar. "As a junior affiliate of Sector Seven, Amendment 14 of Article Three exempts you of possessing Cybertronian technology. Miss Verity Carlo, on the other hand, is not exempt."
Verity rolled her eyes as she sunk back in her seat. "Oh, please. It was an Onyx Blackbook. It's due for release in, like, a month. If you're going to bust my butt over it, then you've got an entire company to arrest."
"Are you saying a human corporation is on the brink of selling Cybertronian devices?" Stakeout sounded skeptical.
"That's why she was meeting with me," Raf said. "I was going to bring it to my mom who's with Sector Seven. But now that rabbit has it."
"Okay. That's not good."
"You don't say?" Verity snapped. "And just for the record, I've worked with your guys before. I helped them with that whole Machination business."
"I know," Stakeout said. "You're on file."
Verity frowned. "Then why are you arresting me? Shouldn't I at least be considered an honorary Autobot ally or something?"
Stakeout said nothing, instead swerving to the right and making an abrupt u-turn, an action that threw Verity and Raf into their seats.
"You two have to go home," the Autobot said to them as he drove at full speed. "This situation is way too dangerous for either of you to be involved in."
"My mom's still going to kill me for being lat for dinner," Raf said, gripping his arm rest.
"At least you've got a home to go to," Verity said. "You might as well just drop me off here."
Stakeout did nothing of the sort as he continued to speed down the highway, back towards the city.
* * *
"So Raf is a no-go, huh?"
"Yup," Jack said, standing outside Furman University with Miko and Sari. "Gave the same old 'computer club' excuse."
Miko scoffed as she flipped out her phone. "Nerd. I don't know why we even bother asking him."
"I mean, it doesn't hurt to ask...."
Sari glanced over at Miko, eyeing the other girl's shiny black phone. "Is that a new phone, Miko? I thought yours was pink."
"Yeah, it's an Onyx," Miko said casually.
"An Onyx?" Jack said. "I thought those didn't come out until next month."
"Yeah, but when you have a foster dad who works there and is desperately trying to buy your approval--"
She was cut off by a sudden screech coming from down the street, accompanied by panicked cries as people scrambled to get out of the path of the charging fire truck, its sirens blaring loudly. The three students watched as the vehicle drew closer. By the time they realized it was heading straight for them, there was no time for them to run as the fire truck reached them... and started to change shape.
The cab split into what seemed like legs while arms sprout out of the sides, one wielding a giant ax. As the giant robot straightened up, it turned around and pointed its weapon at Miko.
"The device," it snarled. "Hand it over."
Miko stood rooted in place, her face pale as her mouth hung open in terror.
The robot's red eyes flashed. "Do not make me repeat myself. Give it to me now before I plaster the pavement with your remains."
"Miko," Jack murmured to her, grabbing her arm. "We should run."
"Don't you dare try to flee!" the robot roared, raising its ax. "This is your final warning!"
Suddenly, more sirens sounded from behind the robot. It turned around just as a police car peeled from around the corner and sped towards the machine at full speed. It then did something none of the kids had seen a police car do before and transformed into a giant robot as well, colliding into the fire truck.
It was then that the trio decided to take Jack's advice and fled from the scene.
* * *
"You're a long way from Cybertron, Smolder," Stakeout said as he threw a fist into the Decepticon's face. "What's a bot like you doing all the way out here?"
"I should be asking the same of you," Smolder said, striking Stakeout across the chest with his ax. "I thought you Autobots were done with Earth."
"It doesn't hurt to keep some connections." Stakeout grunted as he blocked a kick. "Now answer my question."
"Hmm. How about... no?" Smolder swung his ax again and sent Stakeout flying into the side of a campus building. He then shifted his attention to the fleeing humans. "Now then... to get what I came for."
"I don't think so." Staggering back to his feet, Stakeout drew a small gun from his hip and aimed it at the Decepticon. A small claw-shaped device sprang out from it and latched onto Smolder's back. The fire truck cried out as his body convulsed for a few seconds before falling limp and crashing to the ground.
After taking a moment to collect himself, Stakeout stepped over to the deactivated Decepticon and raised a hand to his comm. "Stakeout to HQ. I've got an 0-10. Yeah, that's right. Send someone quick before he wakes up."
He then glanced over to see the three humans Smolder had been terrorizing, one of them still holding the Onyx device.
"Oh, yeah, I've also got an 11-2. And tell Fowler I apologize in advance...."
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