Anonymous (Bayverse)

Chapter 3

Zoe stared at the tall man hovering over her. The only thing separating the two would be the door she could slam in his face. He was a stranger and Zoe hated strangers. The man's eyes danced around over her head. She crossed her arms, hoping to gain his attention. She succeeded.

"What are you doing here?" She huffed once he turned his attention toward her. The man rose his eyebrows in surprise at the sudden defensiveness.

"I told you. Where are your parents, little one?" He asked gently, his lips struggling to form a friendly smile.

Zoes stiff body didn't relax as she tried to think of any excuse faster than last time he asked the question. Think Zoe, think..."Uh, upstairs sleeping." She shrugged. "So that means you can't talk to them."

The man tensed, almost seeming aggravated, but also something seemed to catch his eye. He stared past her head for a moment before he slowly crouched down and pulled something out from his pocket. Zoe stepped back, suspicious of the man's intentions. He raised a badge pinned to a leather wallet. "I think I can, miss."

"Who are you?" She questioned.

"Mr. Dino."

"Why do you want to talk to my parents, Mr. Dinosaur?"

"That's adult business." He frowned at the nickname.

"Do you live here?"

"No."

"Explains the accent..." She mumbled under her breath. "Can I ask you to leave?"

"You could but I would just return." He rose his eyebrows. "I believe I'm supposed to be the one asking questions." He offered a small chuckle if amusement. Zoe recognized it was fake.

"Ask away,"

"Not to you, little one." He corrected and shook his head.

"Why do you keep calling me that?" She retorted and crossed her arms. The man sighed deeply and stood to his full height.

"Can you wake your parents just for a moment? This will not take long." He offered again.

"No, they're sleeping. That's rude." Zoe stuck her chin higher in the air. The man placed his hands on his hips.

"Then it seems I'll have to wait here until they wake up." He told her defiantly, his expression stern. Zoe frowned deeply at his remark.

"No. Come back with a permit, warrant thingy." She said and slammed the door in his face. Her eyes widened once she did so, realization of what she just did flowing back to her. Impressed with her own bold actions, she locked the door and wandered back over to her computer. A sigh was heard outside the door and Zoe smirked in triumph as she went back to typing on the computer.

...

Dino released a tired sigh as the door was shut in his face. He had done his best to patient with the small girl and did not succeed in gaining any information to Starscreams whereabouts.

"Dino to Optimus Prime." he commed as his holoform walked toward his alt.

::What is the situation?:: Optimus's deep voice answered, relieved to hear the young bots voice.

"I arrived and questioned a human girl that answered the door but she refused to let me speak with her parental units that were recharging." Dino explained as he crossed his arms and leaned against the side of his alt, a human habit he picked up from some of the soldiers on base.

There was a small hum in Optimus's tone. ::Remain there until you receive the information.:: he commanded. Dinos holoform nodded even though the leader could not see the action.

"Yes sir," he mumbled as he looked to the cabin covered with snow and icicles hanging from the gutter.

::Is there something else?:: Optimus gently pressed. Dino remained silent for a moment as he studied the "home". His spark felt heavy as his holoform eyes looked back to his boots covered in snow. 

"No sir."
...

A low snarl escaped Starscream as he trudged in the snow of the mountain side. Trees were everywhere, luckily giving him cover, but his wing was hit so he was also grounded. The Air Command would grow infuriated the more he would walk around the trees, branches occaionsally getting stuck in a piece of armor or poking his wires. He swatted the branches as he marched as fast as he could away from where the shot took place.

"Organic filth," he grumbled to himself as his red optics darkened in frustration. Who could've shot him down into this dirt slush? Fear swarmed his spark, hopeful there wasn't any Autobots around. He hadn't seen one as he was flying and not once did a signal pop up on his scanners.

The seeker was injuried, confused, filthy, angry, and fearful. Starscream wanted to scoff at the luck he managed to get. It seemed Primus never wanted him to be successful at anything.

So, the bot treaded through the thick forest as he tried to find upper ground. Starscream wanted the full view, to find out which direction he had flown over, then walk the opposite direction. Even though his injury had been major, the bot refused to turn back now. Not after an embrassing injury because an Autobot got a lucky shot.

Unfortunately, the seeker had been heading down the mountain the whole time and wanted to scream once he reached the bottom. Halfway during his journey back up the mountain (going the correct direction this time) he was growing exhausted and came to admit he was lost as he didn't recognize any of the land he just walked through, especially now that it was beginning to grow dark.

Starscreams patience had worn thin. He grabbed a tree and ripped it out of the snowy Earth. He threw it to the ground in anger and clenched his fists tightly. He knew better than to cry out in frustration as the Autobot who shot him could still be around so he internally insulted his own actions.

Just as Starscream was beginning to grab another tree and throw it down for his own pleasure, he heard a nearby engine start then fade away. Starscream smirked slowly. "So it seems the Autobot has given up?" He stroked his chin thoughtfully.

Relief began to wash over his spark knowing he was now alone.