The suture needle glides effortlessly through my torn skin as the lanky dude ordered his beetle-like minions to watch over me while he left to do something. Once he leaves, the pair look back at me with looks I couldn't quite read. "The hell are you...
"Russell? Russell!?" I snap my head this way & that looking for my young cousin before he ran up to me.
"Right here, Maryanne! Calm down!" He spoke as he skids to a halt beside me.
"Where'd you go? Who's cars pulled up just now? Where's Uncle Denny?" Russell fans his hand in a cooling motion before explaining that he had left the building front to hop over to the dinner Denny refurbished to quickly explain to the vehicles' owners, dear family friends, about my sudden appearance. We walk over together as my eyes linger over the truck.
"Is one of them a cop?" He leans past me to see the vehicle in question & hums.
"Oh, that's Strongarm's truck. She's a cadet under Bumblebee's tutelage." I stop to stare at a sleek, red sports car with a cocked brow.
"Mmm, two members of the law parked here & this one's parked right by them? Bold move." My focus shifts to another one that seemed to be extra sleek, black & gold.
"This one, too."
"Oh! That's Sideswipe & Drift's. They're in league with Bee & Strongarm." Again I spot something peculiar. A T-Rex statue or animatronic.
"That's Grimlock's project. Fix-it helps him with it occasionally." Strongarm, Bumblebee, Sideswipe, Drift, Grimlock, Fix-it? I gotta meet these people! Especially these Sideswipe & Grimlock dudes.
"Here we are! Welcome to the diner!" Figures turn to the sound as I undauntingly stroll in with the seven pairs of eyes focused on me, nine when you count the two red & black-clad kids next to a narrow-eyed man.
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I do a swift visual sweep of those present, noting the guns on some of their hips & swords on the others.
"Alright, dad, do you wanna introduce her, or should I?" Denny chuckles, running a towel over his hands after setting some plates of food down for the guests & us.
"I got it, Rusty. Everyone, this is my great-niece, Maryanne Ivory-Clay. She'll be staying here a while until things straighten out for her. Maryanne, these are some other guests; Bumblebee,-" He points to an average height, well-built, sort of tanned man with bold yellow hair & bright blue eyes. He's sporting a black tee, dark blue jeans, & black canvas shoes. His posture of balanced politeness & relaxation puts a sliver of me to ease, earning a small wave from me. This lasted quite briefly before Denny floats his hand to the only other woman aside from myself.
"Strongarm,-" A woman, possibly Caucasian or of other light skin heritage, sat bolt right in an iconic police uniform respective of the area with extra polished boots, also sporting blue eyes & matching mid-length hair. Her stiff, proper posture put me on edge just a bit as I merely nod with a well-practiced poker face. Her deep blue lips frowned as I turned my focus in the direction of the candy apple red blur a stool away from the cadet.
