Lost & Found

The Future Awaits

Chapter 120: The Future Awaits
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"You need to eat youngling."

I released a sigh as I continued to nibble at the partially eaten protein bar. "But I'm not even that hungry, Dad."

"You haven't eaten properly in recent days."

I shrugged and wrapped the leftover bar back up and stuffed it into my pocket. "And? I'll eat later."

I was famished, but I didn't feel the need to take care of myself. The stealing of supplies and food reminded me of the dreadful years when I struggled to survive. The crumbs of food I had, thin clothes, restless days...I didn't want to go back there.

"Liza," My father began sternly, placing his hands on his hips. Uh oh. "Eat. Now. I refuse to sit here and watch you starve yourself."

"Dad?"

A raised optic ridge had me reaching for the bar and finishing it in mere seconds. "Happy?"

"You need more than that." He gestured towards the store bags that Cade was searching through.

"Really? You stole this?" The man pulled out a bottle and stared at the teens in question. "Mouthwash?"

Shane shrugged. "I like to be fresh when I'm making out with your daughter." He answered cooly, earning an eye roll from Tessa.

"That's funny," Cade glared at the other male before launching the bottle across the church, causing Bee to laugh at the conflict between them. "That's not happening ever." He narrowed his gaze at the two before returning to unpacking the bags.

"Ever?"

I cringed at the display. All the humans did was argue and disagree while we were in the process of trying to find out the ones responsible for slaughtering my family. They could solve the dating issues when this was over. I'm more concerned about taking down the humans that's killing us.

With the help of stolen technology and a fake ID, Cade was able to infiltrate KSI, the organization responsible for Autobot killings.

According to Cade, KSI was an organization that developed high tech by using stolen Cybertronian technology and parts. They were also bringing in luxury cars for "scanning" which I assume humans were trying to figure out how our bodies worked and study our inner workings. Humans were stealing Cybertronian culture and making it into their own. Whatever we had, they wanted.

My family was dead because humans lusted for power and control over the world.

After grabbing another bar, I shuffled past Drift and slipped between Hound's legs to a more isolated part of the abandoned church. I pressed my back against the wall and released a breath before dropping to the ground, hugging my knees to my chest.

So this is what it has come to, huh? Feels like I'm retracing my steps with all the running and hiding and the scavenging for food. No matter how many times I tried to deny it I knew things would get worse. I knew the small beacon of hope I had living with Cade wasn't going to solve anything.

And things weren't going to be all nice and fairytale-like until we stopped whoever was responsible for all this nonsense.

"You know you don't have to follow me everywhere I go, right." I glanced up at the black and yellow bot crouching near the doorway, blinking at me innocently. "Seriously?"

He whirred questioningly at me before carefully squeezing into the room, easing himself onto his knees before he settled onto his bottom and eased his back against the same wall as me.

He pulled his legs up slightly to avoid pressing them against the wall before glancing at me expectantly.

Tapping his knees, he gave me a short whistle. ::Sooooooo...::

"What?" I grumbled, laying my head in my arms. "Can't you just let me be?"

::Negative solider.::

Of course.

Releasing a sigh, I leaned against his side and pressed my face into his bicep, hiding my pain from the world. "What are we gonna do?"

The mech nudged my leg with his finger in question and glanced at me with curious optics. ::Whatcha talkin bout man?::

"I mean this," I gestured to our surroundings and sat up to stare at him. "The situation we're in now. After we find whoever is responsible for this and take them down, what are we going to do? Will our lives go back to normal? Or will we be stuck running and hiding for the rest of our lives?"

Bee shrugged as his radio switched between multiple clips. ::Don't know man...you can't predict how life goes. You gotta let it play out....it's how things work around here, dude.::

"Hm." It was times like these I wished I could control my future visions and see what lay ahead rather than the sudden flashes and dizzy images.

Though my visions were quite useful and saved lives, they were also dangerous. They came unexpectedly and without warning. I fear they will happen on the battlefield and I would wake up in the Well of the Allspark.

Bee nudged me again. ::You good?::

"Yeah." I rubbed my tired eyes and offered a lazy smile. "Just wanna get this over with."
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"Ahem!"

I glanced up from the bench to see Cade glaring at the teens who were snuggling on the couch. "Excuse me, no smooching in front of me!

Smooching?

Tessa sighed in exasperation before removing herself from Shane's protective hold. "You're so square! Who even says smooching?"

She's right about the smooching part.

Cade huffed and leaned against the large podium behind him. "I tell you, no respect."  He glanced at my dad as he shifted, leaning his weight against the wall. "It's just impossible sometimes, y'know?"

My dad crossed his arms, offering Cade a sympathetic nod. "Yeah, I went through that with Bumblebee and Liza."

"Excuse me," I immediately sat up from the bench and turned to glare at my father. "Me? You mean just Bee right?"

"Yes, I mean you and Bumblebee."

Please, I'm the angel child. It's your son who behaves like Unicron's demonic spawn!

"What?" I gaped, slamming my hands against the wood. "I have done nothing wrong! Bee's the one who always gets in trouble!"

::Hey!:: Bee glared at me from across the church, looking equally offended.

"Well, it's true!" I shot back, crossing my arms.

::Knock, knock guess who...sneaks away into the moonlight..::

Son of a-

"That was just that one time! You're the one who kept getting in trouble for illegal street racing with The Twins!"

Bed squinted his optics at me. ::How was school, honey...typical daily dose of violence.::

"You spend a day with those human kids then you talk!"

Hound took a long pull from his cigar as he rested a hand on his hip. "How you long you two gon keep this up?"

"When he admits that he's the troublesome child!"

"Oi!" Crosshairs exclaimed, annoyed. "How bout you both just admit that you're pitspawns and shut up!" The green bot returned to his relaxed position on the floor, resting his arms behind his head. "Do everybody a favor! I don't wanna hear your squabblin all night!"

I harrumphed at the green bot on the ground. "I'm not going to admit something that isn't true." I turned to the Prime with an innocent smile.

"Right daddy?"

My dad rolled his eyes and offered a wry grin. "Sure, Liza."

::Liar Liar, Pants on Fire!::

"Shut up!"
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