Evasion

Chapter 1

Optimus and Ironhide stood in Iacon Plaza. The Prime paced in front of his friend, who sat on a bench. It was beginning to get dark, the last few open shops beginning to close up. There were almost no bots around, giving the two, and their friends who would be arriving soon, privacy.

The red bot looked up at the larger bot, optics shining with worry. Optimus had been pacing since they arrived, and he knew that the habit and stance meant he was anxious, something that Optimus almost never was. Or he just never showed it. His optics remained fixated on the ground, arms behind his back, servos in tight fists.

"Prime, you're worryin' me." Ironhide admitted, "What's goin' on?"

Optimus stopped pacing for a moment and looked at his friend. He looked at the sky for a moment, then sighed and continued pacing like before.

"After the others arrive." He stated.

Ironhide took a deep in-vent, and began to tap a pede anxiously. It didn't take long for the others to arrive. Arcee, Blackarachnia, Cheetor, and Rattrap. Optimus stopped pacing as they approached.

"Huh. All of ya made it." Ironhide said.

"The message was labeled as urgent." The spider said, "Of course, I would be here."

"I don't really get why you sent for me and Rattrap." Cheetor said, "I mean, I get that Big Bot went with you, but..."

"All will be explained momentarily." Optimus assured.

Arcee sat next to Ironhide and yawned into her servo. Blackarachnia simply stood near the bench, while Rattrap sat on the ground and Cheetor sat next to him.

"Couldn't you have made this meeting earlier?" She asked.

The Prime gave a small smile. "I apologize. This is an urgent matter." He said.

"Well, what is it? I was gettin' worried that you'd short-circuit your Spark pacin'." Ironhide said.

"Yes, I would like to see if this is truly urgent." Blackarachnia said.

The largest bot sighed. "Well, I shall get to it, then." He said.

"For those who don't know, Bumblebee and Starscream were declared missing almost three mega-cycles ago." He began, "The planet-wide search concluded within the first mega-cycle, the conclusion of which being that the two went off-world. I contacted all of you to inform you of a vital piece of information."

"Which is...?" Arcee prompted.

Optimus hesitated. He took a deep in-vent and shuttered his optics.

"I saw Bumblebee before he disappeared." He admitted, "He told me that he could not say where he or Starscream were going, but that they were going 'off the grid'. I did not expect this to mean off-world."

All three bots looked perplexed. Suddenly, Arcee jumped to her pedes.

"You knew that Bee was going somewhere, and you're just now telling us?!" She yelled.

Ironhide stood and rested a servo on her shoulder. "Hey, hey, 'Cee." He said, "Calm down, okay?"

The pink and white bot sighed and slowly sat back down, crossing her arms.

"In my defense," Optimus began, "I assumed that Bumblebee told you. He did not?"

"No! He just... disappeared in the middle of the night." Arcee sounded sad now, "He was just... gone."

"Iacon PD actually came to me askin' if I knew where they were." Ironhide said, "I was really confused, until the news broke."

Optimus hummed, arms moving from behind his back, one crossing his chassis and the other to his face.