On The Front Lines {✓}

Chapter Two

   Elena stirred, looking out the window for a moment. It looked like the sun was coming up. She sat up straight, yawning as she paused, hearing Sunstreaker let out a soft noise. She opened the door, lowering it slightly, not completely shutting it for fear of waking the mech up. She looked around, seeing nothing but desert and hills. She heard a noise, moving up on the ridge, sliding down it by accident. "Shit." She turned, waving the dust away and looking back up the ridge. "Double shit." She sighed heavily. She turned, yelping at the gun barrel in her face, a group hovering around her, a couple of humans glaring her down.

   "The government send you?" One spat her way. "Gimme the word Prime, I'll blast 'er." Elena sighed, "Jesus fuck, dude." She moved but he shoved the gun at her again. "You don't want to do that." She gave him a look. "Your fatass is gonna be-" Sunstreaker flipped over the ridge, kicking the gun away and shoving the mech back with a deep growl. "Keep your fuckin' hands off me and mine." He growled. "Sunstreaker." Optimus watched him. Sunstreaker grabbed Elena, putting her on his shoulder before he looked at Optimus. "Prime." He greeted shortly. 

   Elena grinned at the large mech, "I tried to tell you." She gave him a look. Sunstreaker gave the mech a sharp look, optics narrowed. "What's she, your girlfriend, hot-helm?" A green mech scoffed. "I don't see any of you attempting to call him Sunny." Elena stood, holding onto his helm. Sunstreaker gave her a look out of the corner of his optic. "Least he's scoring, can you say the same, hotshot?" She smirked. "Oh, damn!" A younger human male looked up at her, mouth agape, a human female trying not to laugh next to him. 

   "Wait-" A yellow mech stepped forward, looking at her. She broke out into a grin, "My secondary savior himself." She grinned, "Hello, Bumblebee." She looked at him. "Holy- shit." His radio switched between channels, the mech's optics growing wide with excitement. "So you aren't with the government?" A man called up. Sunstreaker looked at him and the two younger humans, making a face. She scoffed, "Yes, definitely, that's why I'm sitting on a giant, yellow mech's shoulder." She replied sarcastically. 

   Sunstreaker knelt, lowering her carefully, taking a moment to speak with Optimus to the side. She approached, "So, what are the names of the clowns of the shit show?" She stopped, crossing her arms. "Excuse me? What are you, 17? Calm down." The older man gave her a look. "Look, bro, you may control your kids but I'm parentless and, for your information, I'm 26." She added. "I'm Shane. This is my girlfriend, Tessa," He grabbed the girl's hand. "And that's her dad." He quickly released her hand as the older man took a swing at him. 

   "Right." Elena looked between them. "Cade, Cade Yeager, I'm an inventor." He turned his attention back to her. "Inventor? What have you invented?" She gave him a curious look. "Nothing," Tessa spoke up. "Failed inventor." She added. Cade pursed his lips, looking down without a word. Elena cringed, "Words hurt, hon." She made a face, looking at Cade. "To be fair, I don't come from the best background." She shrugged. Cade scoffed, "What about you?" He watched her. "Elena. Robotics specialist." She held a hand out, smiling faintly. He took it, chuckling as Tessa spoke, "Just like you dad." She spoke, her voice was almost condescending. 

   Elena looked at her, "Oh, no I worked for a large tech corporation and graduated with a master's in robotics and technology and an associate degree in mechanics for foreign cars, mostly German and Italian." She pulled her hand back, watching Tessa. All three of them stared at her before Shane spoke, "Damn, I think she outdid you." He cleared his throat, glancing at Cade. Cade gave him a look, narrowing his eyes. "So why give all that up?" Tessa made a face. "Sunstreaker needed help and I needed an out." Elena shrugged. "An out from what, a life of riches?" Tessa gave her a look. "An abusive ex and a life I fuckin' hated. I've never been happier, thank you very much." Elena rolled her eyes, shaking her head. 

   Sunstreaker suddenly scooped her up as Optimus began talking. "Autobots, it is time to move out." He transformed. "Finally." Crosshairs transformed first, Drift and Hound following suite. Sunstreaker set her down, transforming and opening his passenger door. Shane scoffed, "How come she gets to ride in the nice car?" He grumbled. "Cause she's my human." Sunstreaker shot back. "And yet she can't ride in the driver's seat?" He paused at Optimus' door, looking at them. "I could. But that's where he sits occasionally." Elena grinned, shutting the door.

   After about an hour of driving, they'd hit an empty road, Sunstreaker and Elena both chatting and listening to music. Suddenly, Bumblebee spoke through the comms, "Sun- streak- er?" He asked. Elena looked up from her laptop, looking at the radio. "Yeah?" The mech questioned back. "Still- race?" He questioned. Elena slowly broke out into a smile, hitting a button on the dash, "My next meal is on you if we win." Elena grinned. Sunstreaker almost stalled, shocked by her response. "Wh-" He struggled for words.

   "Deal." Bumblebee practically grinned. "Give us 30 seconds. I'll honk and count to three when we're ready." Elena began typing furiously on her laptop, plugging it up to Sunstreaker. "See it?" She muttered. "The Lamborghini?" He questioned. "Yeah. I've got it formatted and all the specs so you can scan the file." She grinned. He chuckled slightly, "Oh, you're bad." He grinned. She returned it, "When I say to, scan it." She leaned across, ready to honk, one hand over the horn, the other on the comm button. He grinned, falling back, Bumblebee following suit. 

    Drift commented on the two acting like "undisciplined children", Optimus humming faintly. Elena honked, taking over the comms, "One, two, three, go!" She shouted, quickly sitting back. She laughed, glancing down at her laptop, two programs running at once. She reached forward, tapping the comms, "Hey, Bee, 110, you ready to kick it up? The finish line is Optimus!" She leaned back, hearing him coming up behind her and Sunstreaker. "Sunny, now!" She tapped the dash. Immediately, the mech was doused in the blue light, his form switching before their eyes as he reached Optimus. 

   He slowed, Bumblebee far behind now, the mech catching up and slowing down after a moment. "No- fair!" Bumblebee fussed. Elena laughed, shutting her laptop as Sunstreaker let out a chuckle, "It's called a girlfriend, Bee. I just happen to have the best." He added. "Flattery for a female." Crosshairs scoffed. "It's called simping." Hound laughed. "Excuse me?" Sunstreaker growled. "Hey, I'm a lifesaver. You lot are just jealous." Elena rolled her eyes. Bumblebee whined again, still pouting, "It's alright, Bee. Not everyone can have a nice alt like Sunny. He's lucky I'm smart." She grinned.

   Sunstreaker flicked on his holoform, removing her finger from the comm button, "And hot." He kissed her. "You're in for a surprise when it's daytime." He grinned. She curled up, humming and giving him a look, "We'll see, Sunny." She looked up at him, blue, puppy dog eyes innocent. The mech knew it was a show. She was dangerous and, at that moment, a wanted criminal. But, primus, was she beautiful. He hummed, wrapping an arm around her as she laid across the console a bit.

She was a beauty with a beast at her side; a metal one.