CHAPTER SIX
--The Junkyard--
Rattrap winced as he heard the back of his chair bend. He could practically hear Elita-One's motors overheating as she leaned over his shoulder, staring aghast at his screen.
"I thought you said you had their signal."
"I did!" Rattrap replied. "But now I don't! They just... they just...."
"How long ago did you lose them? Where was their last location?"
"No more than two, three minutes ago." Rattrap pointed to a spot on his screen. "They were right there, near someplace called the... Scar-Borrow Buffs? Scarbar... look, I'll just give you the coordinates."
"Do that." Elita turned sharply and strode out of the Axalon, coming outside to find Jetfire waiting for her. "Get a team ready," she told him. "We're heading to Toronto."
"Are you sure it won't be too risky?" Jetfire asked. "We don't even know what happened to them."
"It would be risky even if we did," Elita countered. "Besides, if they are in danger, then we have all the more reason to try and rescue them."
Jetfire nodded, seeing no point in arguing. "I'll tell Primal to prep the Axalon then."
While Jetfire departed, Elita looked over to see Wheeljack standing nearby with Bumblebee and Arcee, both having been rebuilt into new forms. Bumblebee had traded in his small courier form for a larger muscle car while Arcee had received an even more drastic makeover. Rather than a blue motorcycle, she was now a magenta and white muscle car. Elita almost didn't even recognize her.
"Never let it be said that I can't do the impossible and be quick about it!" Wheeljack proudly proclaimed. "What do you think?"
"Very nice," Elita said curtly. "You two ready for combat?"
"As we're ever!" Bumblebee said eagerly while Arcee merely nodded.
"Good. Because the way things are looking... it seems like we'll be seeing some action very soon."
* * *
Sari felt her heart sink as she heard the automated voice message speak into her ear for the nth time. With a heavy sigh, she lowered the phone from her ear and stared at the words on its small screen.
Not Available.
If she wasn't already before, she certainly was now. What had Blackrock done to her father to buy out Sumdac Systems? Had he been abducted? Knocked off? She tried not to think about the worst-case scenarios but they inevitable crept back into her mind. It didn't help that she couldn't think of a reasonable explanation that didn't end badly for her father.
Doing her best to purge such thoughts from her mind, she looked up to see the Autobots moving frantically through the junkyard, barking out orders to one another. Evidently something had happened without her noticing; judging by the confused expressions Jack and the others had, she wasn't alone in that regard.
"Have they found us?" Jack asked Sideswipe as the Autobot passed by.
"No, but someone's found Jazz and his team," Sideswipe replied. "It'll probably be only a matter of time before they find us."
"Does that mean we'll have to move again?" asked Raf.
"We've got nowhere to move to!" snapped Agent Fowler, emerging from Cade's office with the junkyard owner himself. "We were only lucky 'cos I had Sherman still in my contacts. But after this? We've got nowhere to turn to."
"Not unless we manage to locate Springer's team and meet up with them," Sideswipe pointed out.
"And when will that be?" Fowler asked wryly. "Next Wednesday?"
"All I'm saying is that we're not out of options yet. Besides, we've survived Unicron and Thunderwing. We can survive this."
"Maybe you guys can," Fowler muttered. "But we weren't there for that. That was all on your guys' planet. You're on Earth now; it's a bit harder for us to share your optimism."
Sideswipe frowned but did not argue the point any further. As the Autobot strode away, Fowler let out a loud huff before turning to Cade, putting a hand on either one of the other man's shoulders.
"I'm so sorry for dragging you into all of this. I knew I should'a stayed behind and--"
"Don't worry about it," Cade said calmly. "I know that Sherman trusts you, and I trust Sherman, so I trust you guys."
"But I don't trust these guys -- these machines!" Fowler hissed. "My life has been miserable ever since they entered the picture. I've been standing up for them for years, even at the risk of my career, and what have I gotten in return? Headaches and anxiety. Usually one followed by the other."
He let go of Cade's shoulders and groaned, rubbing a hand over his sweating forehead.
"I just don't know where I'm going to be when all's said and done, if I haven't been vaporized that is. I can't go back to Sector Seven or Unit: E or--" He stopped himself for a second. "Or any other group whose existence I cannot legally confirm to you."
"Well," Cade said, "for all that it's worth, my junkyard is open to you anytime. Like I said, a friend of Sherman's is a friend of mine. Now then...." He slapped Fowler on the back. "How 'bout I get you a beer?"
"Yeah," Fowler murmured. "A beer'd be nice."
While the two men walked off, Sari felt her phone vibrate in her hand. She glanced down and felt her heart nearly burst out of her chest when she read the caller ID.
Isaac Sumdac: Accept? / Decline?
Nearly jumping to her feet, Sari answered the call. "Dad?"
"Sari? Oh, thank heavens! I thought--"
"Dad, what happened? I've been trying to call you for days!"
"I'm so sorry, my little sunshine. I'd misplaced my other phone and have been so busy--"
"Busy with what?" Sari nearly snapped, fighting back tears. "Making deals with Blackrock?"
"Oh." Her father went quiet. "So you've already heard...."
"I saw it on the news. What's going on, Dad? Why didn't you tell me?"
"I understand that you're upset, my dear. A lot of things are changing, but they're for the better. Trust me."
"How?" Sari retorted. "How are they for the better? How has anything that's happened in the past week been for the better?"
"Calm down, Sari. Everything will make sense soon. They're on their way."
Sari frowned. "Who's on the way?"
"You'll be safe with them. I promise."
With that, the call ended. Her phone dropped from her hand but she didn't pay it any heed. Jack and the others looked over to her with concern.
"Is everything okay?" Jack asked carefully.
She shook her head but offered no further clarification for, at the moment, she had none to give.
* * *
Sherman raised a hand to his forehead, unsure if the oncoming convoy was a mirage or not. He could hear the thrum of their engines well enough, so he had a good reason to believe they were real. The assortment of military buggies, sleek SUVs, and motorcycles were quick in reaching the gate, stopping only when Sherman motioned them to.
"Gonna need some clearance," he said as he sidled over to the leading SUV, occupied by a blond man with a strong jawline. "Can't just let any random Joe onto these lands."
The man gave him a withering look before handing him a card. "This is all the clearance you're going to need."
The car started to roll again but Sherman stopped it. "Hey, whoa now! At least give me time to--"
"There is no time," the man said curtly. "You are harboring alien fugitives that have been branded global threats. Good day, sir."
"Now wait just a minute! What gives you the authority to--"
Sherman trailed off as a large shape blocked out the sun. While the SUV and its companions drove off, crashing through the gate, Sherman looked up at the massive metal figure standing over him. The glow of its gun was the last thing he ever saw.
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