Transformers Prime: Merely a Whisper

Chapter Sixteen

Danielle sat across from Red at the lightly populated bistro, awkwardly pushing her salad around the plate with her fork. She wasn't hungry at all, but had downed half of the green dish regardless. She did her best to return the smiles the woman offered her, but often severed any eye contact quickly.

The red-haired woman before her, in contrast, was chipper, and carnivorous as a starving wolf, chowing down on a burger and fries.

"You sure you don't want a milkshake, hon?" she asked as she dabbed away a bit of sauce from the corner of her mouth, and took a sip from her own, abnormally pink strawberry milkshake. How such a slim woman could pack down so much food in one sitting was a mystery to the younger woman sitting before her.

It all seemed so casual, and despite the emotional closeness that had occurred earlier, Danielle felt awkward and vulnerable. As though something was amiss. As though she was letting her guard down and this was some sort of trap-

She rid herself of the paranoia welling up within her and responded to Red's offer simultaneously with a shake of her head.

"No, thank you," she declined, placing her fork gingerly beside her plate.

"Aw'right...Dani-" Red's statement was cut off by a high-pitched beeping. The woman quickly dropped her food, and pulled from her pocket a device similar to a pager. A scowl twisted her features as she spoke, "Dani, we're going."

The change in her demeanour was dramatic. Her seriousness was an alarming change from the friendly complacency she possessed only moments earlier.

Danielle's spark began to race, not rapidly, but just enough to call attention to the possibility that something had gone wrong on her part. That she had made some sort of mistake. Or that plans had changed without her knowledge.

"Check, please!" Red hollered, consequently calling the girl out of the depths of her thoughts, wearing an expression of mostly-suppressed worry.

Danielle was curious as to what news could have stimulated such an emotional swing in the woman before her, and subtly lifted an eyebrow as she rose from her seat, not at all disappointed to leave behind the meal she didn't want. However, along with that curiosity came unease. She had spent enough time around Red to know she was always admirably composed during times of crises-- a trait they both shared-- so, if the woman seemed fairly concerned in that moment, she could only attempt to imagine what dread she must truly be feeling. And what caused such dread.

The second the waiter had appeared at their table side, Red slapped down a couple of twenty dollar bills into his hand.

"Keep the change as a tip!" In her state, she didn't even notice the waiter's shocked yet pleased expression, "Dani, honey, come on! We gotta git goin'!"

Essentially being dragged out of the bistro by her arm, Danielle hissed, "what's going on?"

"Soundwave?" Red, her focus fixated on this mystery situation, seemingly ignored the question as she spoke into an earpiece, "call up the Groundbridge, we're intercepting, t-minus ten."

She hung up, and gave the girl a steady look, "Dani, git ready. We're 'bout to dive headfirst into a firefight!"

Danielle considered all potential responses to this information carefully, before deciding against opening her mouth altogether.  She could have simply denied Red any assistance she could offer. Or she could demand all possible information about said 'firefight' before immersing herself into it. She could have suggested Red turn to more...trustworthy back-up. But, it was obvious who the enemy was in the imminent situation, and the girl was left hoping her gaze and silence would accurately convey her thoughts on the serious matter.