The Pulsing Darkness

Chapter Thirteen

The way Carrie found out was probably the most terrible way. Carrie had been sleeping and Michael had begged Ironhide to transform. Ironhide denied several times but the cute pout the ten year old held made him finally cave in. It had gone well for a while, Michael sitting on his shoulder as they conversed when suddenly a loud scream echoed the hanger. Optimus and Ratchet turned on their holoforms and Ratchet rushed to her aid before she got off the stretcher and harmed herself. He didn't have to worry too much though. She held a nice death grip on the berth underneath her. Carrie wasn't going anywhere.

"Michael!? What are- Mic- Your Autobots!" She screeched. Ironhide knelt down and let Michael slid off his shoulder and into his servo.

"Yes, we are." Optimus nodded.

"Oh my god, I can't believe this happening. Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god,-" She kept repeating as she gripped her hair now. "I crashed into an Autobot were so dead. I'm so dead!" She whined.

"Carrie!" Optimus said firmly. She looked up with wide fearful eyes.
"No one is going to harm you," He said calmly.

"B-But I smashed into one of you! Your not gonna squish me?" She whispered.

"Actually Ironhide smashed into you. If anyone is doing any squishing you should take a nice boot to him," Ratchet snorted. Carrie blinked in confusion. Take a boot to him? Was that an attempt at humor? Carrie wasn't sure.

"I believe now that you have found out about us, it would be best to take you to our base instead of a hospital." Optimus spoke up. Ratchet whipped a glare at him.

"Yay!" Michael cheered.

"B-Base?" Carrie squeaked. Optimus nodded.

"It is final. The rain has started to die down, let's leave within half the hour." Optimus said. "I'll inform the base we have visitors."

"Optimus are you sure you've thought this through? We can't just-."

"Ratchet, they have been missing from a hospital for longer they should have been. No doubt the human police want an explanation and so do their parents." Carrie cringed at that. "Let William Lennox sort this out with us." Optimus told him reassuringly as he deactivated his holoform. Ratchet sighed.

"Fine. Fine." He huffed and walked over to Carrie. Carrie went wide eyed and flinched as He grabbed the stretcher and unlocked the wheels. He began rolling it to his back vechile mode doors. His eyes traveled to Carrie as she watched cautiously. Ratchet rose an eyebrow. "Why are you so afraid?" He asked.

"Why are you so grumpy and on edge?" She snipped back. She then blinked as she realized what she said to an Autobot that could smash her if he really wanted to. "I'm so sorry, I'm just stressed and I didn't really mean-." She rambled.

"Relax." Ratchet snorted. "I'm not going to hurt you. Even if I wanted to, I can't." He said as he lifted the gurney into the ambulance.

"You can't?" She asked. He rolled her inside and climbed in to lock the wheels.

"No. It's against Optimus's rule and everything he stands for." He said. He tried moving the berth and was satisfied as it didn't move.

"Um, thank you." She said.

"Don't mention it." He said as he hopped down the ambulance and over to Michael. "Youngling! What have I told you about moving when your healing!" He scolded.

"I can't help it Ratchet! I gotta lot of energy I just need to get rid of!" He giggled.

"Well get rid of it some way else. Get in the ambulance." He pointed. Michael stuck out his tongue.

"I'm riding with Ironhide!" Ratchet placed his hands on his hips as he looked up to the black mech.

"Is that so?" He rose an eyebrow. Ironhide chuckled nervously and crouched down as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"I think you should go with Ratchet for the time being, Michael. Your still healing." He said softly. Michael pouted.

"Fine, but you owe me later." He huffed and stomped past Ratchet and to the ambulance. Ratchet rolled his eyes and followed him.

"Good job, Ironhide. Now just tell that advice to yourself when I ask for you to cooperate." Ratchet huffed. Ironhide grunted in response.