The Saboteur and His Puzzle

Chapter Five

The scream caught her attention first. Jennifer had been sitting on her porch, waiting for her son as she always did, when her young boy had screamed what seemed to be bloody murder. Jennifer threw the book down and gasped in horror at a large black robot holding her sons waist in his long clawed hands.

Jennifer felt like fainting.

What was she to do? It was twice her size and made of metal. Those long claws...one wrong move and her son could be dead. Tears pricked at her eyes as she held her mouth. Her legs felt weak. She needed to move. She needed to get help. She hurried inside and ran to her bedroom.

"Honey! Clinton! He's..." Jennifer struggled to even relay the situation to her husband. He would think she was nuts. She would just have to let him see for himself. "...hurry!" She cried with tears streaming down her face. Her husband, Adam, had work off today and was taking a very nice nap. Adam always did these on his off days. His job was very tiresome as he was a Firefighter. He enjoyed the silence when he could. This was not silence.

Adam groaned and stretched from being awakened. "What is it now?" He asked tiredly as he rubbed a hand across his face that was once buried in his pillow.

"Someone, er, something is taking our baby boy! Now get up!" She snapped angerly. Her emotions were very out of whack as she kept feeling hatred toward the robot but also confusion, worry, and most of all she was scared. But parents weren't supposed to be scared. Adults aren't allowed such a privilege...Jennifer needed to be brave. For Clinton. But she just couldn't find any. What would that thing want with her son?

Adam shot out of bed at her words, throwing the blankets and comforter off him. His socks slid slightly making him almost fall once he began running out of the room. He threw open the door and felt his shock set in. The robot was now...what was the word? Manipulating it's body? No...he was...transforming? Yes, he seemed to be transforming around Clinton and his tires screeched as he drove away. Adam felt his heart drop as he saw his son look out the window and bang on it. Jennifer screamed in agnoy.

"Clinton!" She cried and leaned against the doorway as she grew weak at the sight. Adam was furious and ran after the police car best he could. It was gaining speed and Adam would never be able to catch up, he knew that. But he had to try. Adam felt his socks grow wet from the grasses rain it had collected that morning. He ignored it. His white T-shirt clung to his heaving chest.

"Clinton!!" Adam shouted once he reached the road and could only helplessly watch his son get driven away. He clenched his fist as tears began to form in his eyes as well. 643...Mission City, he repeated to himself. "Why...?" He rasped from his panting body. "...why?" He croaked with a voice cracking tone. He fell to his knees and sobbed.

Jennifer hugged the doorframe with snifs. The police. She shakily got to her feet. Her barefeet took her into the hallway that led into the living room. Her hand grabbed the homes cell phone and she began to dial as she walked back to her husband in the street.

"911, what's your emergency?" Dispatch asked into her ear. Jennifer swallowed the lump in her throat and wiped her nose.

"I uh, need the police," she pasued ans blinked away her tears. "My son was just kidnapped." She whispered.

"What is your name?"

"Jennifer Cook."

"What is your phone number?"

"I'm using the house number, it's 202-555-0137." (A/N: To be clear, please do not call, this is a fake number you will not end up calling Jennifer and Adam. Thank you.)

"Thank you, now when did the kidnapping take place?"

"Just now in front of our house," Jennifer knelt down to her husband and pulled him into an embrace, her phone tucked in by her shoulder and ear.

"Can you give me a description of the offender?"

"Um, he drove him away in away Police Cruiser."

"Did you get the license plate?" She asked. Jennifer handed the phone to her husband who cleared his throat, having had heard Dispatch.

"No. I have the numbers and the city he got the cruiser rom though." Adam hoarsed.

"Alright, can you tell me the city and numbers?"

"Mission City, 643."

"And you're sure?"

"Yes. He drove too fast for me to get a good glimpse at the plate. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry. Stay home and I'll send an officer over right away. What is your address?"

"We live in Evergreen Forest..."

...

Lennox rubbed his forehead in exhaustion. He glanced at the piles of work on his desk and just wanted to leave them alone then go home. He leaned back in his chair as a knock came upon his door. "Enter," he called with a forceful sigh. Epps opened the door with another file in his hand.
"More? You've got to be kidding me." Lennox huffed as he got to his feet. Epps chuckled.

"Sorry man, work seems to always find us."

"That it does. So what's this one about? Galloway whining again about the weapons? Or am I dealing with N.E.S.T.S. funds this time."

"Niether, two civilians called the police about a kidnapping." Epps said handing the file to his friend. Lennox took the file with a questioning look.

"So?"

"From the description the couple gave, we might just be looking at a Decepticon." Epps shrugged as he crossed his arms. Lennox frowned and opened the file. He briefly glanced over it and his eyebrows began to slowly knit together.

"Call Optimus, we're having a meeting right now."

"Yes sir," Epps saluted before leaving the office, Lennox at his heels.