The Sound of Silence [Transformers Fanfic]

Ghost in the Shell

The stare down continued for another minute before it was reluctantly ended in Galloway’s favor. There was no proof of anything and the no indication that the man was lying. Both ‘Bots and ‘Cons had intensely focused and scrutinized meticulously for any signs that the man was spouting lies, as soon as Will had brought up that Sam seemed to fear him at the end of his week.

Had they done so earlier when Galloway was spinning the cover story that had been made to get a hold of Sam, they might have caught a discrepancy earlier on. A little too late, they instead monitored statements that were half-truths, truths in technicalities. And focused on feelings of true dislike and sincere loathing for them all, especially the Cybertronians, no other feelings and emotions could be discerned in the man’s voice.

Not even the sliver of guilt and regret, and that a part of that loathing for them was reserved for himself.

There had been only so much Galloway had been able to detach himself from after all.

“That ‘under construction area’,” Foster Graham interrupted, the Brit surprising his fellow N.E.S.T. members by speaking up suddenly but more because of what he’d interrupted for. “It’s been under construction for awhile. Nearly a year and a half actually. When is it going to finally be finished?”

“Graham, now’s not the time,” Will hissed under his breath at him.

Graham shrugged at him, but a chill went through Galloway as the man went to turn back to him, eyes boring into his.

“It’s on a hiatus. We’re currently putting that area on hold, as the current economy is in need of money elsewhere. As soon as money can be spared, the area will go back to construction,” he answered stiffly. “Now, if we’re done, I have more important things to attend to.”

He tried not to hurry away suspiciously. They seemed onto him as it was. No need for him to draw any more attention than was on him, and let the current suspicious outbursts die down and be excused as emotions driving high because of Sam’s situation.

He hurried out to his car and took out his phone, hurrying calling on the secure line he had to the people who currently had Sam in their possession.

“Galloway.”

“Look, I’m done,” he growled into the phone. “They’re too suspicious as it is and they’re looking at me. They’re onto me and there’s just no way we can keep this going. We’ll eventually get caught.”

“Calm down. Things are going well; we can’t just cut the project now.”

“And why not? You have your samples from him! Leave the kid be and work with what you have. I can’t do anything anymore. They’re too suspicious of me and I won’t be able to do anything without scrutiny.”

“Samples are good and well, Galloway, but a live specimen is better. You have no idea of the progress, of all the work we’ve been able to do and the results we’ve produced because of this. We end the project now, we slow down and all our work will end up fruitless.”

“Look, Witwicky’s a good kid,” Galloway inwardly sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He stayed stubborn. “You have what you need. Just work with what you have and leave Witwicky out of it for now on. We’re too close to being caught. I mean it; one more thing and they’ll find out. And then it’ll be all over.”

“Fine. Just let us finish off the year. That’ll give us enough time to end up with the last of the results we need to tie up everything for a live subject. Just give us the last two breaks. We should be fine for that much longer.”

Galloway grimaced. “Okay. But I can’t do anything. They’re look at me closely now.”

“They want an investigation on you? Do it. Go on a suspension, and have someone ‘investigate’ you and in the meanwhile, I’ll forge some papers and you slip them into the system. I’ll take over.”