Alias

The Big Reveal

The next evening, Cade wandered into the control room to find that Optimus had left his bedside vigil for the first time since Anna’s arrival. He, Drift, Hound and Ironhide were grouped around Teletraan 1 analyzing a series of readouts. “Hey, guys, what’s up?”

“We’ve got Teletraan looking for any Decepticon activity in the area,” Hound answered as Optimus punched a few buttons. “Bumblebee and Prowl are making the rounds, too.”

Cade nodded. He didn’t need to see Optimus’s intense stare at the screen to know he was seething to take revenge on the Decepticons. “Anything I can do to help?”

Before anyone could answer, Cade heard a quiet footstep behind him. He already knew who it was before he turned to see Anna walking slowly down the corridor, feeling her way along the walls. She’d changed into the clothes he’d bought for her and her sock-clad feet made almost no sound on the concrete floor. “Oh, hey, you’re up!” Cade said, recovering from his surprise quickly and hurrying over to her. “Here, take my arm and I can guide you if you want. You probably don’t remember me, but I’m–”

“Cade Yaeger. I remember your voice,” Anna finished for him. She reached out, found his arm by touch and slid her hand into the crook of his elbow. “Optimus has told me about you and your daughter, and all the help you’ve given the Autobots during the time I’ve been away. He said we’re not on the Ark and I’m not familiar with this base–where are we now?”

“You’re a few meters from the entrance to the control room.” It was Optimus who answered before Cade could. He’d left Teletraan 1 and now stood in the doorway. “My apologies, Anna. I shouldn’t have left you alone–I didn’t expect you to be up and around so soon.”

She smiled and turned her face toward Prime’s voice. “No, you definitely should have. You despise sitting still just as much as I hate being useless.” Cade led her forward as Prime knelt and lowered a hand. “Thank you,” she said to Cade as she climbed into the huge hand.

Prime lifted her to his shoulder. She seemed to expect this and clambered from his palm to settle herself securely amid the metal supports as he straightened. 

Hound smiled up at her as Optimus and Cade rejoined the group around Teletraan. “Been a while, Anna,” he said. “I hear we’re gonna kick Megatron’s ass. Wanna come along?”

She laughed. “Hound! Of course I do. I just wish I could see it for myself. Do you want to do the play by play for me?”

His smile faltered. “Every single punch,” he promised.

She kept her smile in place by sheer force of will. “I’ll look forward to your color commentary. Who else is around?”

“Drift here,” the Autobot warrior said from beside Teletraan 1. “I am glad you have returned, Anna.”

“And Ironhide,” the weapons specialist added, smiling at her even though she couldn’t see it. “It’s been too long, Anna. I’ve kind of missed seeing you sitting up there on Prime’s shoulder.”

She wrapped her arms around one of the metal supports beside her. “I’ve kind of missed being up here myself. Speaking of which, you–” she kicked out and hit the side of Optimus’s head with unerring accuracy, making Cade suspect that this wasn’t the first time she’d done it, “–had better not even think about another banished for my own safety thing again. Once is enough.”

Ironhide and Hound laughed as Prime shook his head, smiling slightly. “Yes, ma’am.”

Perceptor and Wheeljack entered from the other side and stopped short when they saw Optimus. Their leader didn’t miss their hesitation. “All right, you’re up to something,” he said, pointing at the pair of them. “I don’t know what it is, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen you two looking guiltier. What are you doing?”