A New Dawn - Transformers Prime (4)

Chapter Nineteen

You were standing there like an angry god,
Counting out my sins just to cross them off,
Saying that my tongue was too loud to trust,
And that my blood couldn't keep you.

...

So keep your judgment for someone else, I've had enough.

[Ratchet]

  "There has to be some way to track those arses!" Agent Fowler snapped over the video call, and I refrained from snapping back at him.

  "Agent Fowler, I can assure you that I am conducting every sort of scan I can to locate Tempest's group of Cybertronians," I replied. "But the task is easier said than done."

  A small red light flicked on in the corner of my computer screen, indicating the entrance to the base had been opened, and the sound of a car echoed down the entrance hall. I frowned, recognizing the engine to be that of Jack's car, not Amanda's, whose car made a much louder noise. Only then did I notice I was hoping it would be Amanda, making my frown deepen. I may have been too harsh on her before, and despite my attempts to excuse my words, I realized how she'd taken them to heart. It wasn't entirely true, that I thought she wasn't doing enough, but I was frustrated. She wasn't the leader of the Autobots, she wasn't like Ultra Magnus, and she wasn't like Optimus Prime-

  No. Perhaps I was just missing my old friend, and taking that out on the wrong person. Still, if she was going to lead, she had to act as a worthy leader, not performing reckless actions and controlling her emotions on the battlefield. She had interrogated the prisoner without informing the team, and she hadn't even been able to get the right information out of her.

  "Ratchet!" Jack hurried forward, having parked his car in the corner of the base, with Miko and Raf hot on his heels. "What happened?"

  I ignored his question. "Where is Amanda?" Annoyance crept into my tone unconsciously.

  Miko put her hands on her hips. "It's the middle of the night, where do you think she is?"

  "You three seem to have arrived promptly, I don't see why she can't as well."

  As if on cue, the loud rumble of a sports car's engine echoed through, and a black car sped into the base, parking next to Jack's car. Amanda rushed out, looking completely dishevelled, but her eyes were sharp and alert.

  "What happened?" She demanded, tone not allowing for any avoidance.

  "Finn never made it to the airport," I started, and she glared at me.

  "I got that part. Why? Where the hell is he? Who took him?"

  "Security footage from the hotel we were staying at shows two individuals follow him out," Agent Fowler said, voice in full business mode. "Upon further investigation, those two individuals aren't in any international database whatsoever, and we believe them to be two Cybertronians in disguise."

  I watched Amanda carefully, seeing her hands curl into silver coated fists and anger dance in her gaze.

  "So they followed him, then what?" She demanded.

  "Footage from across the street shows that they jumped him before his taxi got there. That's when another Cybertronian pulled up in a black SUV, shoved him in, and they all took off." Agent Fowler finished.

  Miko snorted. "Classic. Obviously these guys watched all those old movies."

  "Run the license plate of that SUV," Amanda said, ignoring Miko completely. "Track it through the state."