Inevitable (Megatron x FEM/OC)

Chapter 27 - Retrieval

"What of decepticon activity. I require both."

"Decepticon activities have been mute." Another mech supplied.

"Negative, designation Berserker has been photographed patrolling Hoover dam." A third cut in.

Nevada. Lockdown glared, his lip plates pulling into a deeper scowl. "And the girl?"

Clincher looked up from his data-pad, his single optic trained on his leader. "I fail to see the human's relevance, sir."

The bounty hunter snarled. "She has information that would be easily extracted from her fragile human mind." He approached the subordinate threateningly.

The single optic mech turned back to the technology in hand. "No sign of her since landing in Brazil. Will keep updated."

A grunt escaped the Quintessan as he stalked out, his mind mulling over the new information tediously, picking it apart and looking further beyond what he was provided to see the bigger picture.

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When Lauren was forced back into consciousness she did so with a shattering wail, turning her throat raw. Her chest hurt beyond words and she felt like all the oxygen had been robbed from her lungs. The world was spinning too fast and not waiting for her to catch up, leaving her disoriented and lost. Words could barely be formed on her tongue when Blackout awoke, battle ready and seething.

That was two days ago and she did little in the way of speaking since, resigned to silence.

It was both beneficial and annoying, Blackout found. She'd not shut her trap previously and now all his inquiries were met with one word answers or a bob of her head. He couldn't understand what could have possibly forced her into abrupt silence and he didn't ask. The change in demeanor gave him whiplash enough.

Since that night they'd been moving nonstop with small respites taken in Guatemala and Panama. The bare minimum was met before they moved on.

His whole frame ached, but it wasn't anything he wasn't use to. He could handle it without so much as blinking.

Lauren spent each moment with her glassy eyes glued to the land below, searching for any sign of the mech in question. Each attempt at sleep was met with nothingness. She'd never felt so alone even in the company of her travel companion. Everything hurt, it was as if her heart had be ripped from her chest and stomped on, leaving only empty space within her. The incessant tug sensation had long since vanished and she never thought she'd miss it, but oh how wrong she was. Time felt like it had stopped and was going way too fast all at once. The woman almost wanted to cry at Blackout, demanding he go faster, but refrained with a bite of her tongue. 

Exhaustion tugged at her eyes in the form of dark bags. No sleep was restful, she found.

Panama was close their destination, right? Geography was never her strongest subject and she kicked herself for neglecting it. If only she'd known how pertinent it'd be in her adult life.

Her world was losing colors each time she blinked. She felt like she was being dramatic, but something about the whole situation reminded her of her mother and she'd be damned if she lost someone else. She refused to be alone again if she could have any say in the matter.

"Ping radius detected." Blackout informed flatly as he descended to fly lower above the tree canopy. "Keep your visuals." They breached the Venezuelan boarder.

Lauren jolted, scooting off her seat to peer down at the earth, her throat constricted and her eyes felt hot suddenly.

600 meter radius. Her mind reminded.