Exposed Wires | | Bayverse | | Book 3

Chapter 1 | | Fifty Shades of Grey | |

"If you want my heart, you'll have to unlock my chest with your trust."

★★★★★★★★★

In the four years following the arrival of an alien race, a lot has changed. Especially after the events in Egypt. The number of governments that signed onto NEST has almost doubled. However, the public's opinion of the Autobots is no longer at the height it was during Egypt.

Toby Hills works increasingly harder to gain the media's favour of the cybertronian presence. But as a young woman of only twenty-three years, her input is questioned and ignored. Such ignorance only encourages her to put more effort into improving relations, pulling in what few favours she has from those she knows. Yet, it has only brought a title of fame to her name; the fame of an outsider and freak.

Since the publication of Seymour Simmons' book, she has hidden away in NEST bases, leaving only on rare occasions. If the world refuses to listen, she'll let someone else do the talking for her. Not that she sees anything wrong with the arrangement; she gets more time working with the Autobots.

It also allows her to spend her days off with her son — although he very rarely leaves her side. At most, she leaves young Aquarius with one of her close friends during an emergency or medical issue. But that has only happened twice.

It is only in times such as this, that she ever leaves him entirely.

In the years Toby has known Ratchet, she has never felt that his cab was stuffy, uncomfortable, or confining. But as of now, she feels all of those things.

Never has she seen a landscape so grey, so void of life. When she was assigned this mission, she had been excited, thrilled even. Yet, now all she experiences is a sense of dread, sorrow, and uncertainty.

"You don't have to continue," a familiar voice says, breaking her from her daze. The tone is full of concern — the kind she expresses when Aquarius injures himself. "You are permitted to return to base."

She chuckles softly, a small smile on her scarred lips as she shakes her head. "Don't mind me, Piston. I was just thinking."

"You're never just thinking when you make that expression," Ratchet gently reminds her.

Toby hums absently, returning her vacant gaze to the vacant landscape. She had already known about the effects of the reactor explosion, but seeing Chernobyl first hand is another thing altogether.

Simmons owes her fifty bucks.

"Toby," she hums in acknowledgement, "we're here."

She blinks, and finds that he is right. They have stopped on the outskirts of the power station's reach. The very source of all the destruction and grief can be seen just over the tops of the buildings.

Once upon a time, the square they have stopped in might have been a fairground, a broken and rusted carousel beside Ratchet and a fallen ferris wheel across the cracked pavement. It is a barren and dusty place, ash sweeping into the air as soldiers climb out of their vehicles, swirling and dancing like leaves on an autumn day. Melancholy is constant, the peaceful existence of Chernobyl a sorrowful sight for what was once bright and cheery.

"All right!" Lennox, her commanding officer, shouts out to his NEST team. "Gear up! We have sixty minutes on the ground, watch your radiation levels!"