Who Guards the Guardians? (TFP/Bayverse crossover)

...Politics

A/N: I realized I was calling Lennox the wrong thing, so I have fixed it in this chapter. I forgot he got the promotion after Mission City, and I will go back to fix it in the past chapters when I can. Please enjoy!

________________________________________________________________________

The man, with a slightly large gut wearing a suit, named Agent Fowler apparently, waltz up the stairs and jabs a finger at Major Lennox. "You guys need to get your act together. I have enough trouble trying to convince the government to keep you guys operational as it is!" Agent Fowler then turns his gaze over towards the three on the walkway with him. "And you!" He walks straight to Sam, leaving Rachel and Raph alone for now. "You were never supposed to regain communications with them again. Was that not part of our deal after we paid for your college tuition, young man?" 

Before Sam can reply, the man turns to Rachel. "Same goes for you, young lady. I have looked into your files, Rachel Darby. I will have all of your grants, scholarships, and financial aid revoked if one word of this slips out or you try to get back here again." Behind the girl, Raph starts to protest, but Rachel is the one to explode first. 

"Excuse you, just who the hell do you think you are?" She takes a step forward, jabbing a finger back at the man. "You think with your government mandated title that you can waltz in here and take control of other peoples lives?" She glares, her eyes holding back tears. "My father was killed in Mission City and my mother is barely surviving at a hospital after being crushed under a building that a large mechanical being fell on. She's only alive thanks to Major Lennox over there, and not your sorry rear." 

She leans in close, but the man holds his ground. "I don't care who you are or who your boss is, but you have no right to speak to these people or these beings that have done their best to keep us safe while under the scrutinizing gaze of suit wearing idiots like yourself. Until I see you out there in the field with them, I don't want to hear any threats or complaints from you." She lowers herself, the fire still in her eyes. She takes a step back as well, and Agent Fowler huffs in agitation.

"No matter, you will still be coming with me, all of you."

Just as he reaches out for Rachel's arm, a large servo cuts between them. The man turns his gaze up to glare into Optimus Prime's optics. "That won't be necessary. We can take care of them here just fine, Agent Fowler." Even the leader of the Autobots had an edge in his baritone voice.

The man growls, then storms past the kids as Optimus lifts his hand. "Fine! But don't think for a moment that you have gotten away with any of this." As he reaches the bottom of the stairs, he slightly turns. "Oh, and Major Lennox. You might want to train that girl to keep her mouth shut before she steps out of line again."

Before he can move, a snarky voice calls out to him. "Nothing you say or do will make me stay quiet, Agent Fowler." Rachel had her arms crossed, and if her eyes were blades, they would be daggers from the way she was glaring at his back. The man makes an annoyed huff before continuing across the hangar to the large opening in the back where moonlight was flickering through.

Turning back, she wipes her eyes then sighs. "I-I'm sorry, Major Lennox, if I caused more harm than good, but th-that... that pig! He can't talk to you like that!" The man was, surprisingly, smiling. It had been a while since someone stood up for the bots and himself like that. Even Sam and Raph were taken aback. Neither ever knew about Rachel's parents. Raph only assumed they weren't close, or they were already dead.

Optimus leans in, his faceplates seeming softer now. He eyes the girl. "I am sorry for your father, Rachel." The girl steadies her breathing, then turns to Optimus. "Thank you... A-And don't worry. I-It w-wasn't y-you that killed.... him...." Her voice starts to steady, and she smiles up at the bot.

Optimus nods, then turns back to Major Lennox. "It appears that the children will need a place to stay here on base." The man smirks, then turns to the kids. "After seeing that kind of attitude, I wouldn't send you anywhere else. Follow me." He walks down the stairs as well, gesturing for the others to come. Rachel, although not liking being called a child, follows happily.

Sam, however, stays back for a moment. Major Lennox notices this, but he continues on. "You know where to go, Sam." He calls out, and the young man nods slightly before turning back to Optimus. The two were deep in a conversation now, and Rachel was doing her best not to listen. That would be rude.

Before long, Major Lennox stops them in front of three doors. They were spaced out nicely, showing that the inside wasn't a tight fit. William gestures to the doors. "Each one has everything you will need to stay the night tonight, and for a long time." He points a the doors to draw their attention. Rachel is the first to notice that her name was already inscribed on a panel on the first door. Next to hers was Raphael, then Sam. 

She turns to Lennox, who grins. "We made preparations in case something like this happened since you two.... three...." He gives a glance towards Sam, who makes a slight huff with a smirk as he walks up to the group. "Have shown to be rather smart in technology or are useful otherwise." Once again, he turns an eye towards Sam, who actually smiles back.  It was clear these two were on good terms.

Rachel suddenly yawns, and this causes a chain reaction between all present, including William. He huffs afterwards and shakes his head slightly. "Alright. You guys head in for the night. Each room has a fridge that has food and drinks in it based on what we have seen you purchasing."

Rachel slightly frowns at him, and he nervously laughs. "What? We were keeping tabs and wanted... to make sure you guys would be comfortable here!" The girl rolls her eyes, then sleepily walks into her room and shuts the door behind her. Sam turns to Major Lennox, and smirks. "It's good to be back." William nods his head. "It's good to have you back." He claps Sam's back, then lightly shoves him towards his door. He was the last one outside.

"Now, this time, stay put, alright?"

Sam lets out a single, soft laugh. "Yeah, okay." Then he heads in, and Major Lennox walks back towards the hangar, releasing yet another yawn.

Inside of Rachel's room, the girl was sitting on her bed, her face red and streaked with tears. In her hand was her phone, which was surprisingly still intact after today. She was staring at the lock screen of her phone, which read the time, date, and held a picture of her and her father standing in front of the Mission City Tower....

Minutes before a blue and red flamed bot crashed down on top of it.

And her father shoving her away just as the building crumbles on top of the place they were standing.