Twisted Cogs | | Bayverse | | Book 2

Chapter 7 | | Old-Timer | |

"Do not merely think that one who has spent a life in darkness cannot return from it."

★☆★☆★☆★☆★

After careful consideration, Toby had ensured that the newest 'con, whose designation she'd learnt to be Wheelie, was to travel with her. She hadn't trusted the others nearly enough to allow him elsewhere, even if they were travelling within the Autobots' alts. So the blue salvage scrap drone had been smuggled into her truck, alongside Aquarius and Frenzy.

Throughout the drive, the cassette had proven himself quite useful, able to ease the sparkling back into recharge whenever the loud-intaked drone woke him. Not only that, but he constantly busied himself with ensuring Aquarius' comfort and interest, allowing Toby to focus completely on driving. When she had asked him why it was that he knew how to keep a sparkling cared for, he had replied in broken English and poor Spanish that he has younger 'siblings'.

The woman accepted his answer with what was surprising ease, and found herself trusting him more than she probably should. It enabled her to drive without worry, though oftentimes she found herself hushing or smacking Wheelie lightly when his words became a little more than PG.

At the current moment, she struggles to resist the immense urge to slam her head into the steering wheel. Simmons' voice fills the radio static, oblivious to the argument turning fight in the young woman's truck. The two 'cons squabble in Cybertronian, knocking each other backwards as they poke in emphasis. What they're actually arguing about, Toby has no clue, but they've been going at it for the past five minutes and it's driving her insane.

Just then, Wheelie says something that clips a nerve and the RC truck finds himself being tackled by an enraged Frenzy. The cassette attempts to reach his carotid cable, optics red and no hesitation to offline the offender.

"Chosen! Oi, Chosen! He's gone nuts!" Wheelie squeals in panic, holding the silver 'con no less than an inch from his neckcables. "Help me!"

With a little more force than necessary, she grabs the attacker by his scruff, yanking him from his prey and ignoring his hisses of protest. However, she doesn't place him down, instead opting to hold him against her jacket, a position that doesn't allow him to move. While he calms down, she raises a skeptical brow at the salvage drone, silently questioning what he said to provoke the other.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing!" He snaps too quickly, slowing bringing himself to stand in a defensive stance.

"Wheelie," she warns, "nobody does that over nothing."

"I didn't say nothin'!" He growls defensively, crossing his arms like a toddler in a strop.

"Frenzy, what did he say?" She asks the shaking 'con gently, aware that she might accidentally set him off again.

"Dijo hermano inútil si no puedo proteger," he hisses furiously, spitting at the offending 'con.

"Can't protect who?" Toby glances at him, "Your siblings?"

Instead of answering verbally, Frenzy nods firmly, glaring daggers at the blue drone. His reaction basically confirms the inventor's assumptions, and though she says nothing, she rubs his miniature backstruts with her thumb, soothing him into calming further.

When he finally stops fuming, she opens her servo to free him, allowing him to crawl onto her shoulder. She ensures that the distance between them is enough to keep from an aerial attack, not forgetting the sleeping sparkling between them.