Terra

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"Yes. Aunt Terra meet Shane. Shane meet my aunt Terra." Shane held his hand out to me as I just regarded his appearance. Tessa looked between me and Shane before turning to Cade. "Well, bright side, you guys met." I gave Tessa a 'hell no' look and quickly directed everyone to go inside as I would rather them not be outside yelling. I heard Cade ask where Shane was from, apparently again. I walked away not wanting to hear Cade argue about Tessa dating. I wandered around the immediate area thinking about what has just happened in the last 48 hours. Was it really just yesterday morning that I work up feeling like something extraordinary was going to happen? I mean something did, I just didn't expect this. Not that I was expecting anything, but definitely not this.

I started back to the building's door after walking around it like 8 times. As I approached I caught the end of the conversation happening inside. "I am your father, okay? And I have been busting my ass to take care of you." "Is that what you were doing when you brought home the truck? All you had to do was report it, and now Lucas is dead, and my life is over. Thank you, you've taken real good care of me." Tessa came storming out of the building taking off in some direction. I raced up to her, knowing I was about to either set her straight or push her away. "Tessa. Tessa, stop!" She whipped around to face me, some tears falling from her eyes. "What?"

"Tessa, you need to quit it." I spat out. She flinched back, her eyes widened as she focused on me. "Let me make some things clear to you. 1, If Lucas hadn't called, we wouldn't be in this situation. 2, I bought the truck, so if you want to yell at someone, it better be me. 3, You are still alive, so your life isn't over. Quit being so dramatic. Yes, things have gone to hell, but that doesn't give you the right to be a bitch to your father that has done nothing but care about you. He wants you to be safe. You think we would have been left alone if we reported him? Did you not see the force that they brought? Reporting turned your life to hell, not your father." I pulled away from her. Tears streaming down her face.

I sighed looking at her, I opened my arms for her. "I understand you are scared, but you need to pull back from harping on your dad so much. He is under a lot of stress all of a sudden. You understand?" She started crying harder, saying "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," like a mantra. After a bit, Tessa calmed down and the two of us headed inside the building. I saw Cade on a laptop watching something. Walking over I saw footage of an Autobot I recognized being shot at by Cemetery Wind. "Please! No! I'm an Autobot! I'm an Autobot!" I heard him say. I could barely contain the sob that wanted to break through seeing him in that state. Cade turned to Tessa and me, "Grab whatever you think we can use for supplies. Clothes, anything. And take that computer."

After scavenging through everything we turned in for the night. My mind became plagued by memories of Chicago and of the Bot that saved me only to be killed by Cemetery Wind. I knew I had only gotten a few hours of sleep before my dreams woke me up. I stayed awake until Optimus returned in the morning. When Optimus showed up, I called the others out so we could get going. After a bit, Cade mentioned seeing if his bank account was frozen or not. When Optimus stopped outside a small town so Cade could test if his account was frozen or not I was laying down in the back of the cab. I heard faint music play as I fell asleep, my dreams strangely lacking. I was slightly woken when I hear Optimus call out to any, and all Autobots. I fully woke up when the cab around us started to change. A full bench seat took up the front, but a bed formed under me. 'Finally,' I sighed as I relaxed against the softness. While it wasn't much better than the seats up front, it was better than sleeping on the floor. I jumped when I felt an electric shock go through me.

"Woah! Oh, my God!" Cade cried out, "That was insane! It was awesome, but it was insane, right?" Shane looked at us in surprise, laughing a bit. I smiled at them as I laid back down. About 15 minutes later I felt Optimus stop and everyone in the front climbed out. I was about to climb into the front when Optimus shifted. Somehow I ended up on his shoulder. "Yeah. Mr. Leader of the Free Galaxy is back. I knew you'd make it, I never doubted." A green trench coat wearing bot spoke. I looked at the other bots, there was a blue samurai looking one and a heavy gunman. The samurai spoke followed by the big one. "We got your warning. We've been waiting." "Hell, yeah. Boom time. We got the gang back together."

I heard heavy footsteps approaching, another bot came over the ridge. "Humans have asked us to play by their rules. Well, the rules have just changed." Optimus addressed the bots once the final bot stood nearby. The gunman bot said, "Human beings, bunch of backstabbin' weasels." Causing me to huff in annoyance but understanding. "Hound, find your inner compass. Loyalty is but a flower in the winds of fear and temptation." "What the hell are you saying?" "It's a haiku." "Cut the crap, before I drop a grenade down your throat." "Try it, you'll be dead." The blue bot pointed his sword at Hound's neck. "Oh, please pull it. Please do it."

I called out to the fighting bots, "I think he means that just like a flower in strong winds, loyalty can be destroyed by fear and by temptation. Humans are afraid of the unknown, that's why we only know some of our own planet." The two looked at me, surprised to see me on Optimus's shoulder. Apparently, I wasn't noticed by anyone. "Well, raise your hand if you're thoroughly disenchanted with our little pleasant Earth vacation." He pointed his guns at my family. And Shane. "So, who's the stowaways?" Cade panicked, "Oh, Woah, hey! What's with the gun?" Optimus stepped forward, me having to hold on to keep from falling. "Stop, Crosshairs." He looked at him and Hound, "Both of you! They've risked their lives for mine. We owe them. So, there's been no sign of any others?" I looked at the dejected looks of the bots, losing myself in my thoughts.

I tuned back into everything when Optimus lowered me down to the ground. I could feel the Bots looking at me, as it did seem like I came out of nowhere. I sat down by Cade as I watched the fire. I faintly heard Shane talking, "So that's our best-case scenario? Autobot witness protection?" "Hey, Speed Racer, you're welcome to leave anytime." "Well, for the record, Super-dad, I'm not hiding with you. I'm hiding out with that big guy." I looked away from the fire when the blue bot spoke, "Sensei, with your fate unknown, Bumblebee has held command, despite his complete and total lack of anything resembling warrior discipline. He's like a child." The black and yellow bot spoke through his radio, "This child is about to kick your ass."

I grumbled as I felt a headache form when they clashed. I leaned against Cade. After a moment he spoke to Optimus, "Well, it sure looks like you've been missed." Optimus apparently took that as a cue to speak up, stopping the fight. "Autobots, Lockdown is hunting us and humans are helping. We need to know why." Cade moved slightly, but I didn't want to move. "Terra, please. Let me get up." I groaned as I sat up, removing my weight from his side. "I don't know why, but I have an idea about who." He pulled out the drone from his bag. One of the bots transformed to project the footage, "This drone I stole recorded footage of an Autobot raid. It's in pieces, but watch what happens here."

I must have had fallen asleep for a moment because I woke up to hearing Chicago being mentioned, "The company is headquartered in Chicago. That could be where they were taken." Cade said. Hound looked at Optimus, "No way to get inside without a battle." "Well, what if you had some human help?" I asked. Cade looked at me surprised I was awake. "What she said." Cade looked back to the bots. "What, are you three partners now?" "Sweetie, we're targets now, too. We need to know why or we'll never get our lives back." Cade told Tessa.

Optimus shifted his stance, "Autobots, I have sworn to never kill humans." Hound spoke up when he paused, "Big mistake." "But when I find out who's behind this, he's going to die." I looked to my family to gauge their reactions. Tessa and Shane looked horrified while Cade looked worried. I looked up to Optimus as I stood. Doing so drew attention to me.

I innocently looked at him, "Can I help?"