Detroit had never been quiet.
Even at night, the city breathed.
Traffic whispered against rain-darkened streets. Neon signs reflected against glass towers and puddles gathered in cracked pavement. Cargo ships groaned along the river. Trains rattled over steel bridges. Somewhere in the distance, police sirens wailed before disappearing between the enormous buildings.
And beneath all of it-
Machines.
Generators.
Power lines.
Factories.
Millions upon millions of tiny electrical signals humming through the city at once.
To most humans, it was background noise.
To Cybertronian audial receptors, Detroit sounded alive.
Which was why Ratchet noticed immediately when something joined the chorus that did not belong.
The old Autobot medic froze.
One servo remained wrapped around a tool.
His optics narrowed.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then-
"Everyone shut up."
Bumblebee's head snapped around from the television.
"What?"
"I said shut up."
"But I wasn't even-"
"That means you too."
Bumblebee's mouth clicked closed.
Bulkhead paused halfway through lifting an enormous crate.
Sari looked up from where she had been sitting cross-legged on the floor.
Prowl turned his helm slightly.
Optimus stood near the central console, datapad in hand.
The firehouse suddenly became unusually silent.
Ratchet listened.
There.
Again.
A tiny electronic chirp.
Then static.
Then nothing.
His expression changed.
Optimus noticed.
"Ratchet?"
Ratchet didn't answer immediately.
He set the tool down.
Moved toward the communications console.
Tapped several controls.
A map of Detroit appeared.
Ratchet adjusted the receiver.
Static flooded the speakers.
Bumblebee winced.
"Ow."
"Quiet."
Ratchet turned a dial.
The frequency shifted.
Static.
More static.
Then-
"...help..."
Every Cybertronian in the room froze.
Sari stood.
YOU ARE READING
Snowgrave
Science FictionGlacienne has spent years running from a past buried beneath ice-along with the terrifying power it left behind. When a mysterious signal brings her into the lives of Optimus Prime and his team, she finds something she never expected: safety, friend...
