Counting Symbols (A Transformers Story)

Chapter 6

Amanda's POV

My heart thudding, I raced to my room. Quickly, I called Mom. "Hey Mom?" I asked when she picked up. "Amanda? What's wrong, sweetie? Should you be in bed?" I bit on my tongue to keep from telling her that I do not go to bed at 8:14 unless I'm really tired.

"Is Grace suppose to be home?" I asked. "Of course, why?" Mom asked me. I was silent. "Amanda? Is something wrong?" By my mother's tone, she seemed to pick up that something was not right. I bit my lip. "Uhh...yep, everything is fine! I was just...um, asking if Grace wasn't suppose to be at home, just in cause she had to stay over at school..." I babbled like an idiot. I had completely lost my mind.

"Oh, ok Sweetie. For a second there you had me worried that Grace wasn't at the house!" Mom laughed, and I joined in half-heartily. "Ok, Mom, I got to go. I need to go do some, uh, homework," I said. "Alrighty, Amanda. See you in the morning. Bye." "Bye," I said quickly. Then I hang up.

So Grace was suppose to be home, but she wasn't. I thought over my conversation with Mom. Something was wrong. But what?

I went back to Grace's deserted room and over to her window. I decided to play detective, only for real this time. I nosed around the curtains until I saw something. More like felt.

The left curtain-the one with the blood on it-brushed me. That's when it caught my eye. The shreds. There were shreds in the curtain. I bent down to investigate them more.

Something-or someone-with long, sharp claws had clawed at the curtains. And taken Grace, I added in my mind. I tried to think. So something with some serious sharp claws taken Grace and somehow hurt her enough to spill blood on her curtains. But who?

That's when it hit me. A Decpticon. That must have caused all of this! Quickly, I raced back to my room and called Miko. The phone rang once. Twice. Then, Miko picked up.

"Hello? Amanda?" Miko asked. She sounded confused. "Why are you calling me?" "Miko, are you still at base?" I asked quickly, ignoring her question. "Yes, why?" Miko's tone turned to worry.

"I need to talk to Optimus or Ratchet, either one," I said. There was a pause. I could hear murmuring in the background. Then a familiar, grumpy voice answered. "Hello?" It was Ratchet.

"Ratchet, something happen," I said. Ratchet muttered something before asking what it is. I explained everything that happen. "And I think a Decpticon captured her," I finished. Ratchet was quiet. Finally, he spoke.

"I'm sending a Ground-bridge to your coordinates. Come back to base. Do you have school tomorrow?" "No, I don't. They're letting us out for some teacher meeting," I responded. "Alright, the Ground-bridge is open. I'll talk to you when you reach base." Ratchet hung up after that. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a weird, glowing green color. I peeked out my window. The Ground-bridge was here.

I grabbed my book bag and quickly packed some over-night stuff. I raced down the stairs and stopped by the kitchen to write my mother a note. I'll just say I was sleeping over at a friend's house. She couldn't say no to that. And that Grace joined me. That sounded good, right? I hoped.

I slung my bag over my shoulder and shoved my phone into my pocket. I pushed against my back door and ran into the ground bridge before it could closed.

At the base, I let me eyes adjust to the light as Ratchet shut the ground bridge off. He nodded toward me. I sighed and walked up the stairs. As I expected, Miko stood near the TV, a worried expression on her face and her arms crossed.

"What's going on? What's with the stuff?" She asked, gesturing to my bag. I avoided her gaze and laid my book bag on the couch. Miko stared me down, not giving up. I finally sighed.

"Alright, look, my little sister Grace has been captured by what I think was a Decpticon, and I have proof. Does that sum everything up for you?" I snapped. Miko's expression turned to shock. Her mouth dropped open. "I'm so sorry, Amanda..." she whispered. I softened my expression. "It's ok," I said. I avoided Raf and Jack's gaze and walked over to Ratchet. He had been listening to me.

"Will she be ok?" I asked. I was aware that tears were streaming down my face. Ratchet hesitated. "I can't be sure, but I will do my best to track her," he said slowly. "Until then, get some rest." I wasn't tired. I wanted to tell him that, even though it was pointless. The only thing I wanted right now was Grace.

I walked back to the human area and sat on the couch. I pulled my legs closer to me, and then the tears came. I cried silently while my friends just sat there and waited. Miko walked over and sat next to me, laying a hand on my shoulder. I knew she was trying to comfort me.

I sniffed and wiped the remaining tears off my face. "Where's Optimus?" I asked Ratchet. He grunted. "He's out taking a drive," Ratchet responded. "He'll be back any minute now." I nodded and glanced around base.

None of the Autobots were here except Ratchet. I could hear him typing quickly on his keyboard, scanning the green screen for coordinates of Lily.

Miko must have read my mind. "Bumblebee went to power down, and Bulkhead and Arcee are trying to track down an old Energon mine."

I nodded. "This place feels deserted," I said. "Guess I'm too used to being around the Autobots when they're here, not when they're doing something."

A sudden roaring made me turn my head. Optimus zoomed into base, transforming and skidding to a stop. Arcee and Bulkhead drove behind him, transforming before they could crash into each other. Arcee looked annoyed, but other than that, everyone seemed relaxed.

"I hope the 'cons are not going to find out about this energon mine," Acree muttered. Optimus said nothing, just sighed. His optics  traveled over to Ratchet, then over to us humans. He froze when he saw me. I felt awkward. "Uh...hi," I muttered. Optimus looked confused.

"I drove you home, didn't I?" He asked. I nodded. "Then why are you still at base..." he trailed off when he saw Ratchet gesturing at me. "You'll want to hear this," Ratchet muttered. I turned to Optimus and explained everything that had happen at my house.

"So she was captured?" Optimus now looked surprised. The rest of the Autobots shared his reaction. "But why would the 'cons want a little girl?" Bulkhead scratched his helm. "That doesn't make sense." I shrugged.

"Like is said, I really do not know if it was a 'con. But someone with claws had shredded the curtains while taking Grace, so a 'con is all I assume who did it," I admitted. Ratchet was silent.

"What if it wasn't a 'con?" He suddenly blurted out. "What if it was Starscream or..." he trailed off. The Autobots glanced at each. I didn't like where this was heading. A sudden beeping sound made me jump. Ratchet turn to his computer, then said slowly, "Its a incoming message." He paused. "From Arachnid."