Solar Ice (Transformers Fanfiction)

9. Rebellion

PRISCILLA PYNCH POV

When I'd marched into the building in search of Mother, I had neither expected her to have one of the Rescue Bots as her captive nor that she'd have hired that mercenary to keep him and some new player in the game from leaving.

"Good evening, Miss Pynch." One of the employees greeted, "How was your flight?"

I forced a smile, "Delightful as always... I'll be in the office."

The man's eyes widened, and then he gave a slow nod. "Yes, Ma'am..." He murmured, and then rushed past me down the hall. Good, things were falling into place.

I continued to the office and opened the door, slipping in and taking a seat in the chair to wait for Mother. I opened my phone gallery, looking at my photos of my college roommates and me over the time we'd been living together.

What a whirlwind it had been since I'd left Griffin Rock that day. I'd stepped out from under Mother's protective umbrella... And immediately discovered just how much it had been keeping out. The things I didn't know how to do or that were even a thing! My roomies were the ones who took me in both physically and mentally, showing me what to do and rarely getting angry with my ignorance and mistakes.

I got up from the chair and settled myself against the wall as I pulled up a text one of them had sent me right before I'd boarded my flight here: You got this, Priss!

I smiled as I responded: Damn right I do! XD

It was only a moment later that Mother stepped in, her wide smile now obviously fake. I'd never noticed just how fake it was until I'd seen a genuine one. "I'm sorry, Priscilla, dear. But like I said, I was very busy with something."

"Yes... Sure." I muttered as my smile faded and I flipped over to a different app.

She took a seat in the chair behind the desk, "If I'd known you'd be coming by, I'd have worked out time into my schedule for us to have lunch tomorrow and catch up! but I'm afraid I'm still on a time-crunch."

I looked up from the phone, "In other words, this isn't a good time."

"Ah, so you understand."

"Actually, I don't."

I placed my phone down, "What could you possibly be busy with? I've looked into this place's workings and you've got even less revenue coming in than when I left home. Not to mention you just got out of prison...Again. I can't believe I never wondered where all of our money was coming from, or what corporations it was going to."

Mother chuckled with surprise, "Are you... scolding me, young lady? Did you forget your place in all this while you were away?"

"I thought I knew what my place was before I left... but then I was scared that I'd wind up on the streets with how often you were going to jail, and I didn't even know why! I learned a few things while I was gone... Did you know that you have to wait in line for coffee? I didn't! I didn't realize how terrible I was as a person growing up, or why I never had any real friends until I saw what happens to those kids when they don't work for themselves."

Mother scoffed, "Oh come now, Priscilla. You know those other people don't deserve our time and money."

"No." I stood up straight once more, "You don't deserve my time and money. I think if you ever bothered to check the fine print on Pynch Enterprises, you'll find that I've moved everything into my name."

The smile was gone immediately, "...You what!? You think you have the right to take my company away from me!?"

"Why not?" I examined my fingernails, "I am your daughter, after all."