Infected

Chapter 11

Siege POV.

I look at my sister with mixed emotions. Flare was doing the same. He looked taken aback, guilty, hurt, and hesitant. I, I felt angry, betrayed, and shocked. But, but also guilty myself. Here we were. All three of us. The closest family and friends each other has. Arguing over what to do with this virus. Here was my younger brother, trying to help me see reason and trying to keep our sister from losing her temper. Here was my sister; my little sister begging, wings down and helm bowed, begging us to join her and the other two. Even she looked guilty... I stood up, my height seeming to tower over my two siblings at the moment. Flare took a step back, between Eclipse and I.

"Eclipse. It's too dangerous. If the city is on lockdown, if no one can get in or out of the hospital, then what can we do? I'm sorry little sis. But we won't go through with that plan. I won't have you out in unnecessary risk." I explain quietly and gently.

She looks up at me.

"But Siege, this might be the only chance this family has to make it out of this mess."

"Or it could get us deeper into it. Eclipse you are part of this seeker trin. And as your older brother and the oldest in this trin, I'm telling you no." I make it final.

I hear her sigh.

"Alright." She whispers.

I pull her and Flare into a hug. These two are my younger siblings. I have to protect them at all costs.

:We're leaving. Tonight. Either you three come with us or not. We won't make you. But you can't stop us. You have until your family's lights out to decide.: -Solar.

I sigh with a growl at the group text. I knew Wavelength had something planned when he asked for some quiet. My wings perk when I see Eclipse typing.

:I'll be there. I can't sit around. Too many bots we care about have been affected.: - Eclipse.

She pulls away suddenly.

"I'm sorry Siege. I really am. But you know me." My sister looked up at me.

She was right. I did know her. Which means I know I can't stop her. We look at each other. I can tell I'm frowning, but she knows it's not at her. Before I can't stop myself and hug her tight.

"Stay safe." I warn her.

"I will." She hugs back and leaves for the guest room, teleporting so neither Sire nor Uncle Thundercracker see her.

"You're letting her walk away?" Flare looks at me.

"Yeah, I am. We both know she can't be convinced otherwise." I sigh and sit down again.

Why can't we just be back in class?

"So you're letting her walk alone?" Flare sat down next to me.

"I- I don't want to!" I look at him.

"Then why didn't you tell her that?!" Flare quipped.

I don't answer. Why didn't I tell her that?

"So then what are you suggesting?!" Now it was my turn to throw my servos in the air.

"I'm suggesting we join her."

I stop. Flare almost never argued. With anyone. He always just found something fun about anything. That was how his crazy processor worked. But he wasn't being playful right now. I think it over for a moment before standing up. Again. Flare was right. The three of us have always been by each other's side. If we fall, I want to fall together.

:Don't start planning without us. Flare and I are sneaking over.: -Myself.

Flare doesn't waste a moment sneaking over to the door and listening. Once the coast is clear we creep along the hallways and slip into the guest room.

"You two joined us." Eclipse hugs me.

"Yeah. Someone needs to keep an optic on you." I hug back with a chuckle.

Flare's wings drop relieved.

"So, you're not ratting us out to your family?" Wavelength shifted.

"No I'm not. Now then. Let's hear this plan of yours." I pull up a chair.

I see Eclipse's wings flutter beside me, even Flare was smiling. So be it. I still don't like this. At all. But if one of us commits, all of us commit.

"Ok so. We have to do this after Skywarp and Thundercracker fall into recharge. Solar already wrote the note explaining that we had to leave behind Harmony. She's not getting hurt. After the note is placed in your kitchen, Solar will meet us by your Sire's ship. From there, we activate the ship, hopefully, the rest of us will have opened the docking station door quietly as possible. Once Thundercracker's ship is fired up, both of them will be awake. We only have moments after that to fly off." Wavelength explained quietly.

"One problem there. Uncle Thundercracker has a fail-safe. If anyone but him flies without his express permission, that ship won't even take off." I explain, slightly annoyed.

"Shoot. This is an issue. How many firewalls does he have around that code?" Solar frowned as well.

"At least 5, that I was able to count." My wings twitch.

Eclipse ex-vents. "That you were able to count? Wavelength is great at simulations, but actual hacking-"

"Isn't my strong suit." Wavelength finished, "Though with your help we might be able to trick the code."

I nod in agreement.

"Unfortunately that's a maybe Wavelength." I huff, "But I do remember his passcode. It's possible that might work. But I'm not completely confident."

*I can hack for you.* Harmony grabbed our attention with a clap.

Oh slag.