Transformers Prime: Vanishing Light (#3) [Completed]

Chapter 8

I felt very unproductive all week, accomplishing very little. I didn't get any training in with Wheeljack, and Smokescreen and I hadn't spent much time together. He was always busy with preparations for the plan, which Wheeljack, Miko, Slug, and Bulkhead had started calling 'Operation Takedown', and somehow Agent Fowler had used the same name for the military. I had gotten a bit of training done with Alpha Trion, but we hadn't gotten anywhere, which had made me quite frustrated. School was easy, as of the moment, with no homework to do, leaving me bored. I had absolutely nothing to do, which didn't help with my increasing frustration.

I hung out with Miko, Jack, and Raf to try and kill my boredom, but they were just like me; bored. All of us had nothing to do, which was nice in the long run so we could do what we wanted, but in the end, it didn't really go anywhere. We tried to help with the plan, but there wasn't anything we could really do, so we mostly just talked. Needless to say, I had nothing to do or look forward to.

"Hey, Lora." I stopped spinning in my desk chair and looked to my door. There stood Arcee, bent down so she could through my door. "Want to go for a drive?" She asked.

"Sure," I sighed as I stood up and grabbed my jacket. "I've got nothing better to do."

Moving out of my way, Arcee followed me as I walked towards the exit. As I shouldered on my jacket, Arcee turned on the ground bridge. Passing a quick word to Ratchet, she transformed and waited for me to get on. Together, we drove through the ground bridge.

We didn't talk as Arcee drove down the old and abandoned road. Rather, I let the wind play with my short hair and toss it around.

"You know, I'm in the same boat as you," Arcee said suddenly.

"Huh?" I shook my head, giving my full attention to Arcee.

"I can't really do much either, in regards of helping with the plan."

"At least you can help make the plan, and prepare," I muttered distastefully. Arcee fell silent. She quickly pulled off the road and drove not too far into the bush, emerging on a small overhang that overlooked a vast forest below. I swung off and walked over to the edge. Arcee transformed and trailed behind me.

"Lora, I understand why you're so bitter about this, but all Optimus is doing is trying to protect you," Arcee finally said. She looked down at me with kind eyes.

"Then why doesn't it feel like that?" I asked. I plopped myself down on the rock, feet dangling over the edge. Acree sat down beside me as I continued. "I know that the safety of all humans is his highest priority, but I can't help but feel that I'm being pushed away. I want to help, but I'm not allowed."

"No one is trying to push you away Lora, I promise. All of us just don't want to see you get hurt. Naturally, we're careful about what fights we involved you in; we don't want something bad to happen to you," Arcee assured me. "And if any of us seem distant, there's just been a lot happening this last week."

"I get that," I sighed.

A low hum started up, but not from a motor in the distance. I looked down at my amulet—the source of the hum—and noticed that it was also glowing slightly. Realization grew, and I whipped my head around. Arcee didn't notice my sudden movement.

My eyes widened and I stiffened at the sight of who stood behind Arcee and I.

"Arcee!" I called out desperately as I shot to my feet, but I was too late. A shot of something flew towards her, and just as she turned around, it hit her. Electricity webbed across her as she collapsed to the ground unconscious, luckly not tumbling over the cliff.

"Don't move Lora, or we will open fire," said a familiar deep voice.

With a clenched jaw and balled fists, I starred the man down as I greeted him, my voice nothing but bitter.