Twisted Cogs | | Bayverse | | Book 2

Chapter 6 | | Last Chance | |

"Darkness is the tapestry that holds the stars in place."

★☆★☆★☆★☆★

"~This guy, Robo-Warrior~," Leo informs sternly, his voice crackling ever so slightly over the radio. "~Everything about anything alien, he's supposed to know~"

Toby huffs silently, rolling her eyes at the man's wonderous 'knowledge'. She knows that nobody can truly know everything — though her mother came very close — but many can only try. One would need to be an eternal being for that.

The group has been travelling for a good portion of the night, only stopping when the young medic started falling asleep at the wheel. It had been outside of her usual behavior and caught the other humans off guard when she ordered them to pull off the road for a few hours so she could avoid crashing her best friend's beloved truck. Bumblebee had been very concerned, the twins too, as they all knew her sleeping habits typically kept her alert well into daylight hours.

Now, at eleven in the morning, she drives behind the small convoy with a short distance radio that she had managed to haggle from a 'Pawn Shack' sitting on the dash. Aquarius rides next to her, buckled in and digging through her spare clothes to quell his boredom. Her red bandana currently resides loosely around his neckcables and a sock provides as a long glove that cloaks his entire arm.

Catching her sideways glance, he giggles, hiding his faceplates in the red fabric, leaving only his large optics in sight. His mother smiles softly, rubbing his helm in fondness before bringing her attention back to the road.

"~One time, we revenge hacked his site and maybe, I saw some of your-uh-alien drawings or whatever~," the woman blinks dully, shooting through some lingering thoughts in an attempt to ease her growing confusion.

Instead of commenting, she shrugs to herself, settling with switching on the car radio to break the settling silence. Some slow rock plays through the old speakers, causing her to absently tap her digits to the beat.

"We apologise for the interruption, but we've just received breaking news," Toby frowns, turning the volume up ever so slightly. "At four o'clock yesterday evening, East-Coast Standard time, the existence of alien life forms was confirmed and we were ordered to hand over Samuel Witwicky, a young man that withholds important information. Today, an addition has been made. Full name, Toby Hills, is a young woman that is now being demanded from us. It is unclear as to why she wanted, and remains to be seen as to how she will be found. If you see her, dial 911 immediately. Do not engage, she is extremely violent and has been known to react in such a way to any person. That is all."

The rock resumes playing, a tense and bone-chilling silence filling the static on the DinoShack radio as a weight settles on the woman's chest. She scowls deeply, breathing feeling restricted at the news. This was always a possibility, but that doesn't mean she was expecting or prepared for it.

"~Toby~" Mikaela's voice is drawn out and sympathetic, making her want to growl at the girl. "~I'm so sorry~"

"I don't need your sympathy, and I don't need your help. I'm only here to find out why Sammy boy's got Cybertronian glyphs stuck in his head," she hisses quietly at the radio, hiding her hurt and pain behind a mask of sharp attitude.

Her sharp reply causes silence, save for a small whine from Bumblebee that makes her heart tug lightly. It's not her fault that the truth is harsher than fantasy. Besides, what good does pity do when all you feel is overwhelming guilt for something you could've prevented?

Toby blocks out the sound of the radio, focused on the road alone as she takes a moment to calm down, a mask of steel falling over her features. Her grip on the wheel tightens, and her jaw clenches, every flourishing emotion being stomped into a keyless vault without any essence of light.