A Mute Friendship

Problems

Jack looked up at Optimus Prime, who was listening to what Bumblebee, Arcee and Bulkhead had to say about his classmate, Tegan.

"I just don't get it!" Bulkhead said. "He hit me once, when I was in vehicle form, and recoiled as if I was a dead body!"

"It's as if he knows who we are." Arcee agreed, looking up at her leader.

Jack looked up at Optimus. "He's even on eggshells around Miko and I. He's like... dead scared." He said, confused with Tegan's behaviour.

"Well..." Raf's voice was thoughtful. "It's not exactly easy to trust people after Vince bullies the crap out of you nearly every day."

Jack nodded. "Yeah, but he knows that I'm not out to get him."

"I don't know, Jack." Arcee said, looking at him. "Imagine being unable to hear or speak. People probably sneak up on him all the time just to scare him."

"And being unable to see doesn't help." Miko called from her place on the couch.

Optimus looked at them all as he considered all these suggestions. "Or. Someone has gotten to Tegan first."

Jack felt nervous fear in his heart as he looked up at the Autobot leader.

"That's what we think." Arcee stated, watching her leader in a feeble attempt to read his thoughts. "But the car that he had gotten into didn't have a decepticon symbol on it."

'And the driver was human.' Bumblebee beeped. 'And didn't look like a Decepticon.'

Jack nodded. "That's right. And it's not anyone I've seen around town. And I know like... everybody." He said.

"Could be the dude's dad." Miko suggested.

"That is possible." Ratchet called from his place at the consoles. "I didn't pick up any Decepticon life signals nearby when you were in pursuit either."

Shaking his head, Jack looked up at them. "No. Tegan never knew his father, and his mother died in a car crash." He thought for several minutes. "He lives with his grandmother."

"According to research on the internet, children without a father are more likely to get involved in criminal activity!" Ratchet called.

"Whoa. That was needless." Miko muttered from behind Jack, who rolled his eyes.

"What's that got to do with it, Ratchet?" Raf asked.

"Uhhh." Ratchet looked at them, then snorted and looked away.

Ever since Raf had been injured and nearly lost his life, Ratchet had been studying everything about humans.

"If the Decepticons have gotten to Tegan first. Then he will be in grave danger." Optimus looked at each one. "And we must do everything we can to get him. And bring him here."

Jack looked up at him as Arcee put a hand on her hip and looked at her leader. "And just how are we supposed to do that, with him running like a bot from a scraplet every time he sees us?"

Optimus looked down at Jack. "Through humans... or more, Agent Fowler." He responded.