Michael's POV:
A few days had passed since the Scraplet infestation, and those few days were spent with everyone helping to clean up the base by making repairs where needed, and getting rid of the Scraplets that were still in the base.
I also helped with the cleanup, as everyone was given their own list of chores and sent to a specific part of the base to carry them out, including me. I wasn't all that happy to have to do chores, as it reminded me of when my Grandparents forced me to do my chores, as well as their own, without allowing me to rest, and it continued like that until I ran away. I knew the Autbobots were nothing like them, and that this infestation wasn't their fault, but all the same, I couldn't keep the frown off my face as I did my half of the chores.
With everyone working together, the base was soon back to normal within a few days time, with Miko and Bulkhead finishing their chores last as Wednesday evening rolled around. I was in the Command Center with everyone else when Miko and Bulkhead walked in, their chores complete.
"All right! Chores are done!" Miko said, happy they could do whatever they wanted now. "Now can we do some dune-bashing?"
"I dunno Miko." Bulkhead replied. "Last time, I spent a week picking sand out of my articulators. Oh! But there's a monster truck rally in town." Miko was about to reply when Ratchet spoke up.
"Optimus, I'm recieving a signal on a restricted band." The CMO said. "It appears to be coming from a starship inside this solar system."
"It's an Autobot identification beacon!" He said a moment later, after figuring out what the signal was.
"So there are other 'Bots out there?" Jack asked, surprised.
"The masses scattered to the galaxies when Cybertron finally went dark." Arcee said. "But 'Cons have been known to bait traps with false beacons."
"Unknown vessel, this Autobot Outpost Omega-One. Identify yourself." Optimus said into the comm.
"I've had warmer welcomes from Decepticon combat brigades." The voice replied. Bulkhead, and myself, instantly knew who it was.
"Wheeljack?!" The green wrecker asked in surprise, making Miko almost fall off his shoulder-plate. "You old 'Con crusher! What are you doing all the way out here?" He asked, running up the console.
"Bulkhead? That's you? What's with all the security?" Wheeljack asked through the comm.
"The rock we're on is crawlin' with 'Cons." Bulkhead replied. "How soon can you get here and even the odds?"
"Sometime tomorrow, if I put metal to the pedal." Wheeljack said confidently.
"Another 'Bot's coming here! How cool is that?!" Miko asked, excited.
"Wheeljack?" Optimus said in thought. "I know of him by reputation only. Can you verify his voice print?" He asked Bulkhead.
"He is one-thousand percent the real deal, Optimus!" Bulkhead replied, certain.
"We will send landing coordinates Wheeljack. Safe journey." Optimus said into the comm.
"See you soon buddy. I'll make sure you get a proper welcome." Bulkhead said excitedly, and then the line was cut.
"So who's the boyfriend?" Arcee asked, smirking. I smirked at her word choice, while Cliffjumper snickered.
"Jackie and I go way back." Bulkhead replied, chuckling. "We were part of the same war unit: The Wreckers!" He said, bashing his fists together. "Which means the 'Cons are gonna wish he never found us."
"Wheeljack is also a good mechanic and an expert on explosives, isn't he?" I asked, hoping to see if the infomation I had of him was correct.
"Yep, he is." Bulkhead replied excitedly. I smiled, glad that I was right, but then I frowned, as I remembered the 'Cons trick that they pulled with sending a fake in the white Wrecker's place to learn of the base's location. I couldn't say anything, knowing that this was yet another event that I shouldn't interfere in. But I was sure about one thing:
I was not about to pretend things were fine when I knew they really weren't.
Normal Perspective:
The next evening, everyone at the base waited in anticipation for Wheeljack's arrival. Everyone except Michael, who remained errily quiet as the evening approached. The others, however, didn't seem to notice, as they were too excited about the new arrival. Bumblebee however, did notice the young boy's change in behaviour. He looked over at him, concerned for his friend, but didn't comment on it.
"Wheeljack's ship is approaching the landing zone." Arcee said, as everyone watched the screen.
"You think he's here to visit?" Raf asked.
"Maybe he'll stay!" Miko replied, excited, then she thought for a moment. "Have to find his own human though."
"Groundbridge cycling up." Ratchet said, but then the controls sparked, and the screen glitched. Ratchet punched the controls, kickstarting them and fixing the screen, but the bridge still didn't power up. "Blasted Scraplets!" He said, annoyed. "Equipment hasn't been the same since the infestation."
"I'd help you fix it, but I'm not entirely sure of where to begin with this type of technology." Michael said from the human area, to which Ratchet just sighed.
"So, Wheeljack's gonna land halfway across the world, and then you'll bridge him here?" Jack asked, wondering why they were going through so much trouble.
"We can't risk revealing the location of our base, just in case the Decepticons are tracking Wheeljack's ship." Optimus explained. Just then, Miko walked away from them and over to where Bulkhead was pacing in anticipation.
"Dude! I've never seen you so stoked!" Miko admitted.
"Ho! You're gonna love Wheeljack!" Bulkhead said elatedly. "We were like brothers! And tonight, we are gonna party!"
"Suh-weet!" Miko cheered. Suddenly, alarms began to go off as Decepticon signals were picked up.
"Bogeys." Arcee said. "Closing fast on Wheeljacks postion!"
"'Con scum!" Bulkhead shouted angrily. "Open the bridge Ratchet! We're missing all the action!"
"I'll prepare sickbay." The CMO said, as he opened the Groundbridge.
"Who for? The 'Cons?" Bulkhead asked jokingly. "This is Wheeljack we're talking about." Then, he, Arcee, Bumblebee, and Cliffjumper ran through the bridge, while Michael stayed behind with the others. The kids chatted excitedly with one another about Wheeljack, while Michael remained silent, a frown remaining on his face. Miko soon noticed this.
"What up, Mike? Jealous of a newcomer?" She asked teasingly. The young teen looked over at her.
"No, Miko, I am not." He said calmly.
"You wouldn't be acting so distant if you weren't jealous. So you have to be!" She said, convinced that he was.
"I just told you that I am not jealous." The young boy replied, but Miko wouldn't let up, and kept on pushing, trying to make him admit it. Jack and Raf tried to make her stop, but she didn't, and Michael's patience soon ran out.
"You are jealous!" Miko said for what was probably the hundreth time.
"I AM NOT JEALOUS!!!" Michael screamed out. The three kids looked at him, shocked by his outburst. Ratchet and Optimus also looked over, surprised. Ratchet was about to say something, but then remembered what Michael had said about making him mad.
"I can also be savage and not hold my tongue when mad, so here's a piece of advice for the future: 'Don't make me mad'."
Ratchet just sighed, and continued working on fixing the Groundbridge, while Michael stormed off to another part of the human area. Jack just glared at Miko, who said nothing, though both recovered when a call came through for a bridge. Ratchet opened the bridge back up, and all four Autobots, plus Wheeljack, came running through. Ratchet shut it down, but the controls sparked again, as the bridge fizzled out, the outer rings of the bridge also sparking. Ratchet just groaned in annoyance.
"Jackie, C'mere. Meet my other best buddy: Miko!" Bulkhead said, intoducing the white bot to her. "She can wreck with the best of us!"
"Hiya." She greeted.
"You keepin' Bulkhead out of trouble?" Wheeljack asked.
"I try. But trouble finds us anyway." She replied.
"We're gonna get along just fine." The white bot said, then he turned and made his way over to Optimus. "Optimus Prime." He greeted. "It's a privillege."
"Likewise, soldier." Optimus replied. "What have you to report from your long journey?"
"Been bouncin' from rock to rock, searching for signs of friend or foe. Now, I find both." Wheeljack said.
"We are few, but strong." Optimus began. "We have suffered losses, but we have grown. And we would relish welcoming a new member into our fold." He finished.
"I would be honored." The white Wrecker replied.
"Then let's get this party started!" Bulkhead said happily, before slapping Wheeljack on his back-struts, before both mechs slammed their chests togther. Ratchet just groaned.
"Oh joy..." He sighed.
Soon enough, Wheeljack was introduced to Jack and Raf, and was talking with them and Miko, when the white bot saw Michael walking past.
"Hello." Wheeljack greeted. "What's your name?" Michael stopped, and didn't reply. Instead, he looked up at the white Wrecker, glaring icily. Wheeljack was surprised. Michael then looked away, and continued on. Wheeljack noticed something odd though: Michael's left eye seemed to turn red while he was glaring. The white bot said nothing though, but had the feeling that the boy might be trouble. Michael made his way over to Optimus, who was getting ready to leave for a drive.
"Hey Optimus. Where are you going?" He asked.
"I am going for a drive." The Prime replied.
"Primes don't party?" Michael asked, raising an eyebrow, and smirked. Optimus didn't reply. "May I come with?" He asked. Optimus raised an optic ridge in surprised.
"You don't want to stay and party with the others?" The Prime asked. Michael looked back at Wheeljack, his expression darkening.
"Not particularly." He said in a low voice.
Optimus didn't say anything further. Instead, he transformed, and opened his driver-side door. Michael climbed in, and the two headed out of the base, and into the cool air of the Nevada desert. For the first thirty minutes, the two drove in silence, as Michael watched the sun set from Optimus' cab, both deep in their own thoughts. Eventually, the Prime broke it.
"Your behavior seems to have changed alot ever since Wheeljack came into the picture." Optimus began. "Miko also seems to claim that you are jealous of our new arrival, even though you have denied it multiple times." He continued. "May I ask if what she says is true?"
Michael just sighed. "No, it isn't true." He said at last. "It's just... something about him doesn't seem right, and I know what it is." Optimus stayed silent, as he thought this over.
"Would you care to elaborate?" He asked.
"Not... right now." The teen admitted, wanting to get the subject off of his mind for the time being. "I'll... explain on our way back to base." He said, and silence fell back into the air once again.
Night had fallen by the time the pair arrived in the town of Jasper. They drove slowly through the town, wanting to relish in the peace as much as possible. Michael looked out the window, watching the buildings slowly go by. As they passed by an alleyway, the teen spotted something out of the corner of his eye. A young teenager around his age wearing a deep purple hoodie was sitting in the alley, their head buried in their arms. Michael was curious about why a teenager was in a place like that, and he intended to find out.
"Optimus, stop." Michael said. The Prime was confused, but complied, and slowed to a halt.
"Is something wrong?" He asked, wondering why they stopped.
"Not with me, no." The young teen replied, and looked over at the teen in the alley. "But there is with someone else..."
Michael made a move to open the door, and it opened automatically, courtesy of Optimus. The teen got out, closing the door behind him, and made his way over to the teenager in the alley, wondering what was going on.
-----
Back at the base, the party was in full swing. Wheeljack and Bulkhead were lobbing, while the others watched, and Miko played her guitar.
"Soooo, what's that about?" Jack asked as he watched Bulkhead and Wheeljack lob.
"It's called 'Lobbing'." Arcee replied. "A favorite passtime on Cybertron. Especially among the Warrior Class."
"C'mon Raf! Show us some moves!" Miko said.
"Aw, alright." The young boy said, and got up, and began performing a familiar dace.
"Of course!" Jack laughed. "'The Robot'!" Bumblebee and Cliffjumper soon joined in. Ratchet just sighed at their silliness.
"Where's Optimus?" Jack asked.
"Went for a drive." Arcee answered. "Primes don't party." She added in a low voice.
"I see." Jack replied. "What about Michael?"
"Must've gone with him." Arcee said. "Probably isn't the party type either."
Jack didn't reply at that, and instead turned back to watch the lobbing game.
"Comin' at ya!" Bulkhead yelled, and threw the ball. Wheeljack attempted to catch it, but it grazed his servos, and slammed into the wall behind him. The ball then fell right on to the Groundbridge controls, much to Ratchet's annoyance.
"You know, I am attempting to perform sensitive calibrations here!" Ratchet yelled, annoyed at the fact that he was interrupted, and the fact that the controls could've been damaged.
"Sorry Doc. Guess we're a little 'charged up'." Wheeljack said, and walked back over after getting the ball. "You built this bridge from scratch, huh?" He asked the CMO.
"I did." He replied simply, focusing on repairing the bridge in question.
"That's quite a feat of engineering." The white bot said, impressed.
"Yes, it is." Ratchet said, somewhat pleased that someone was taking interest in his work.
"Somethin'... wrong with it?" Wheeljack asked, trying to hide his concern.
"I didn't like the way it sounded during this last jump." Ratchet replied. "I put it in shutdown."
"What if you need to use it?" The Wrecker asked.
"Oh, I can't interupt the defrag process without causing irrepairable damage." The red and white bot mech replied.
"So uh... how long will the defrag take?" Wheeljack asked.
"A few hours, if we're lucky." Ratchet replied. "Maybe longer."
"Huh." Was all the white bot said as he walked away.
-----
Michael soon made his way over to the teenage girl. She looked to be the same age as Jack, and had long, black hair, most of which was covered by her hood, and her eyes were a deep green. She looked up as the young teen boy approached her.
"Hey. What are you doing in an alley?" The young boy asked. "Especially at this time of night?"
"What does it matter to you...?" The girl mumbled, as she looked away.
"I'm just concerned, that's all." He replied. He knew what it was like to be in alleyways at night. He'd had to stay in a few during his time as a runaway, as he didn't have many options available to him during that period of time.
"Sure." The girl said, in an irritated tone. "You're probably just like everyone else. You'll turn your back on me just like everyone else has."
"Trust me, I wouldn't do that." Michael assured, knowing that he never do that to anyone. The girl just sighed. "Not everyone is full of darkness and malice. There are good people out there." He said, as the Autobots and the other humans came to mind.
"I guess..." The girl said, not fully convinced. "Who are you, anyway?" She asked. "I don't recall seeing you at our school."
"I'm home-schooled." Michael lied, knowing that he couldn't tell her about the Autobots. The girl just hummed, and went silent. "What's your name?"
"My name is Jessica. Jessica Roxas Alvarez." The girl, Jessica, answered. "What about you?"
"My name is Michael. Michael Crovan." The young boy replied. "It's nice to meet you, Jessica."
"Likewise, I guess." Jessica replied.
"You still never answered my original question." Michael said. "Why are you in an alleyway at this time of night, or at all for that matter?" Jessica hesitated for a moment, before finally speaking.
"I... was kicked out of my home and disowned by my family..." She said at last. Michael's eyes widened in surprise. He had not expected that.
"Oh my..." He said, at a loss for words. "I'm sorry..." He knelt down near her, concerned. "May I ask about what happened...?"
"Are you going to turn your back on me if I tell you?" Jessica asked in return. Michael thought for a moment, before finally answering.
"No." He said. Jessica was silent for a moment, letting his answer sink in. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.
"Okay... I trust you." She said, and began her story.
"It began when I was six years old. My parents cared for me when I was born, but their attitudes changed when my little brother was born. They began to treat me horribly, and either acted like I wasn't there, or made me their slave, doing all the housework and the other chores. They refused to spend money on me and buy me new things. I was always given my parents hand-me-downs when they bought newer things for themselves. I had to get a part-time job just to support myself when I turned twelve. Things remained that way for a few years, but then... things got worse..." She said, and paused, frightened at the memory. Michael remained silent for a moment, letting it all sink in, before he finally spoke.
"What happened...?" He asked slowly. Jessica looked at him, and he could see the pain in her eyes.
"There was a boy that I liked back in middle school." She continued. "He felt the same way about me, and we ended up going out for awhile, but when we entered highschool, his personality changed drastically. He began doing drugs, often selling them to other students. I outright hated it, but I still stayed with him, thinking it was a phase and that he would go back to his normal self soon enough... but he didn't. He got even worse."
"How worse...?" Michael asked, not sure how much worse things could've gotten for her.
"He started to become possessive and controlling. He got jealous when I spoke to other guys, and wouldn't let me hang out with my friends, always thinking I was out cheating on him, which wasn't true in the slightest. I soon reached my limit, and went to break up with him, but when I did... he snapped..." She said, and her voice became softer as she spoke. Michael looked at her sadly, his heart hurting at thought over what she had gone through.
"What did he do...?" Michael asked, worried about what the answer might be.
"He...." She trailed off, as tears welled up in her eyes. "He tried to kill me...." She whispered. Michael gasped in utter shock. He never expected someone to do something so heartless and terrible. Anger and sorrow welled up inside him at the thought, but he kept a cool head.
"Oh my god... that's absolutely horrible!" Michael said, horrified. "Did he get away with it?" He asked, hoping the guy didn't.
"No." She said. "Thankfully, he got arrested and was sent to a juvenile detention center here in Jasper. I thought I would finally get peace after everything I went through, but fate had other plans..."
"What happened?" Michael asked gently.
"I ended up getting scarred thanks to that horrible incident." Jessica said, sadly.
"Oh... I see..." Michael said, unsure of what to reply with, but was trying to help her look up. He wasn't sure if it was the right thing to say, but Jessica smiled sadly. "Maybe your parents finally realized where they went wrong."
"I had the same thought." She said. "I thought that my parents would support me after what happened, but they didn't."
"What do you mean?" Michael said, wondering why a parent wouldn't be happy with such a thing.
"Things only got worse once I got back home." Jessica replied, but then sighed. "They instead yelled at and berated me for hours once they found out about it, saying how I should've been killed." She said, and tried not to break down into tears. Michael's heart broke when he heard that. How could people be so hateful and horrible to another living being?
"That's absolutely horrible!" Michael said, horrified at the thought. "Nobody should have to go through something like that! No one!" He said, but as much as hated to admit it, it was unfortuately true, and there was nothing that could be done about it. He comforted the poor girl, and after a while, was able to stop crying. And continued with the rest of her story.
"My parents decided to kick me out of the family, calling me a disgrace. I had no choice but to leave. And I didn't have anyone else to turn to, so I've been on my own ever since. That last part was recent to, and I've been on my own for a few weeks now. Though I'm still able to attend school, but life there isn't any better..." She said, finishing her story. Michael was in awe over at the story. He thought his life had been hard, but this... this was far worse.
"I'm so sorry that you had to go through all of that..." He said. "Nobody deserves to have a life like that." He thought for a while on what he could do, before a determined look crossed his face. "Let me help you." He said firmly. Jessica looked up at him, surprised.
"What...?" She asked, wondering if she heard him correctly.
"I want to help you." He said. "I know what it's like to have fend for yourself without having anyone to turn to. I don't want to see anyone else go through the same thing. Not if there's anything I can do about it. I promise to help you. I've gotta get going, but can we meet back here tomorrow night?"
Jessica nodded, and smiled. She felt a small weight get lifted off her, though she still had her doubts that Michael would actually fulfill his promise. As Michael got up and walked back towards Optimus, Jessica spoke up.
"Michael?" She asked.
"Yes?" He replied.
"Thank you." She smiled. Michael smiled back, and walked over to where Optimus was waiting. He climbed in, and the two began to head back to base. Jessica watched as they left, feeling much happier now than she had in years.
-----
Back at the base, Bulkhead was telling the others stories about previous battles he and Wheeljack had gone through back on Cybertron.
"So there we were: No communications, low on Energon, surrounded by 'Cons! So what does Wheeljack do? " Bulkhead laughed. "Tell 'em, Jackie!" Wheeljack stayed silent for a moment before speaking.
"Well, what I do best." He said simply.
"He chucks his only grenade into the primary heat exchanger!" Bulkhead said, laughing.
"Yeah. Seemed like a good idea at the time." Wheeljack added.
"The joint went super-nova!" Bulkhead finished, throwing his arms up in the air.
"Awesome!" Miko said, in awe at the story.
"Ha-ha! Yeah! I'm still picking shrapnel out of my backside." Bulkhead said, scratching his back.
"I'm not surprised, given the size of your backside." Arcee commented. Bumblebee and Cliffjumper burst out laughing at that.
Wheeljack looked over at Ratchet, who was still working on the Groundbridge. His optics narrowed, but no one seemed to notice... at first.
"There it is: Jackie's signature. One grenade, one shot." Bulkhead was saying, but then noticed Wheeljack's expression. "Hey, are you alright?" He asked, concerned.
"What?" The white Wrecker asked, as he was pulled back to reality.
"You don't seem like yourself." Bulkhead said.
"What do you mean?" Wheeljack asked.
"I dunno... You just seem... quiet." The green Wrecker replied.
"Ahhh! Just been stuck in a can too long." He responded. "I should go topside before I go stir crazy."
"I have patrol in the morning. You can come with!" Bulkhead said.
"Let's go now." Wheeljack suggested.
"And break up the party?" Bulkhead asked. "C'mon! The gang's lovin' you!" You gotta tell 'em about the battle of Dark Mount Pass!" He said excitedly.
"You tell 'em. You're better at it." The white bot said. "How 'bout if Miko here shows me the rest of your base."
"Uh, sure Jackie. Go ahead!" Bulkhead replied.
"Tour. Starts. Now!" Miko said, as she got up. "Can you play any instruments? Can you fly? Have you thrashed more Decepticons than Bulkhead?" She asked, her voice echoing as they walked away. Bulkhead watched, concerned.
"You alright?" Arcee asked.
"Yeah... just... out of sorts I guess." He replied with a down tone.
"Don't tell me you're.... jealous." She said, surprised at such a notion.
"That Miko's making a new friend? C'mon!" Bulkhead said, dismissing the claim. "Something's.... something's just not right about Wheeljack." He said, looking down the hall Wheeljack and Miko went down.
"Bulkhead, really?" Arcee asked, walking up to him. "He's travelled galaxies. You haven't seen him for centuries. He could just be rocket lagged or... Well, bots do change, you know?"
"Not Jackie." He said, certain he was right.
"<:Speaking of change, have you guys noticed Michael's change in behavior?:>" Bumblebee asked. "<:Ever since Wheeljack came into the picture, he's been acting very different from his usual self.:>"
"I have." Cliffjumper said. "I'm worried about him."
"When you guys went to help Wheeljack, Miko kept saying Michael was jealous, and she kept saying it so much that he ended up screaming at her." Jack said, as he remembered what happened earlier.
"Maybe Michael knows something that we don't." Arcee said. "It would explain his behavior."
Bulkhead didn't reply.
Everyone's words swirled around his processor.
He didn't want to admit it, but something didn't feel right, and he was going to find out what.
-----
Michael and Optimus drove in silence once again as they headed back to base. Optimus had heard Michael's whole conversation with Jessica, and his Spark hurt at what she had said. Although he wasn't entirely sure about how human families functioned, he knew that what Jessica had gone through wasn't right at all. He knew Michael was a kind person, and would put others before himself. Whatever Michael was planning on doing, the Prime knew the boy had it under control. Optimus decided to put the matter behind him for now, and decided to focus on more present matters. He remembered about Michael's behavior towards Wheeljack, and what Michael had said about knowing something the others didn't. He decided to bring up the topic again.
"You said that you knew something was off about Wheeljack, and you knew what it was. Would you still care to elaborate?" He asked. The teen looked down at the Prime's steering wheel, contemplating, before finally sighing.
"Well...."
-----
Meanwhile, Miko was just about finished showing Wheeljack the whole base, and were heading back after showing him a few more rooms.
"And that's pretty much it." Miko said, as they made their way back the Command Center. "Energon stockpile, power generator, Armoury. Everything you need to blow the joint skyhigh.
Wheeljack looked up, thinking, before finally realizing his chance to find out the base's location.
"Where's this bunker located, exactly?" He asked, hoping to get the answer he wanted.
"If I told you, I'd have to rip out your Spark chamber." Miko said, trying to be threatening. Wheeljack just stared at her, not fazed at all. "Kidding!" She said, bringing back the happy mood. "Just outside Jasper, Nevada. Though I don't expect that to mean much to ya." She said, and walked ahead.
"Can't say it does." Wheeljack replied. "So, uh, anyway out of here beside bridging?" He asked.
"Why?" Miko asked. "You're not planning to leave already, are you?" But immediately changed her tune. "C'mon. I'll show ya." She said, and they made their way back the Command Center.
Back in the Main Room, Ratchet was still working on the Groundbridge, which by now, had already almost finished defragging.
"Almost there..." Ratchet said to himself, as he watched the process continue.
Meanwhile, Bulkhead was arguing with the others about Wheeljack, when said bot arrived back in the room with Miko.
"What are you guys talking about?" The white Wrecker asked as he walked up to the others.
"I was just tellin' the guys all about you and me." Bulkhead replied. "At the battle of Dark Mount Pass?"
"That's a heck of a story." Wheeljack responded.
"Yep. Tell it!" Bulkhead said, his expression changing to that of mistrust.
"Talk talk talk. How 'bout after we go off-roading!" Miko said.
"Miko, stay out of this!" Bulkhead said forcefully.
"Bulkhead, easy..." Arcee soothed, trying to calm him down, as tension fell over the room.
"I'm not sure I-" "Tell it!" Bulkhead snapped, cutting Wheeljack off. The white mech, sick of Bulkhead's pressuring, gave in.
"Fine. You wanna live in the past, Bulkhead?" He asked, aggitated. The kids looked at each other, unsure of what was going on, before looking back at Wheeljack.
"The Wreckers were trapped between a Decepticon partrol and the smelting pit. The 'Cons were vicious, bearing down on us with everything they had. Me and Bulkhead engaged the enemy, left 'em for scrap. Then I made us a way out using their backsides as stepping stones to cross the molten metal." Wheeljack finished. "Isn't that how it happened?" He asked, hoping he got everything right.
"Yeah. That's exactly how it happened." Bulkhead replied. Wheeljack gave a smug look. "Except for one little thing..." Bulkhead added, and the white 'Bot's expression changed to one of shock.
"I wasn't there."
Everyone, even Ratchet, looked up in surprise. The white wrecker's expression changed to anger, directed at himself for messing up, and Bulkhead for putting him in that position.
"I'd already left the Wreckers to join up with Optimus." Bulkhead pointed out. "But you wouldn't know that if all you did was access Wheeljack's public service record." He added, getting up the imposters faceplate.
"Bulkhead, what does that have to do with- WOAH!" Miko yelled, as Wheeljack-Makeshift-grabbed her.
"MIKO!" Bulkhead yelled, as Makeshift pushed him and the others out of the way, and ran over the Groundbridge controls.
"Stay back, or I'll squeeze her into a pulp." Makeshift said, now using his real voice. Everyone stood back, ready to jump at moment's notice.
"WHEELJACK?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Miko yelled, terrified.
"Decepticon coward!" Bulkhead yelled. "Let the girl go, and face me!"
"Don't fret. Plenty of fighting to come." Makeshift replied.
"Is there a real Wheeljack?" Jack asked, confused and scared at the current situation.
"Oh indeed." Makeshift said raspily. "And I expect Lord Starscream is making sport of him." Bulkhead narrowed his optics further at this.
Suddenly, a loud horn sounded out, and speeding out of the tunnel came Optimus, with Michael in tow. Michael jumped out and ran up to Makeshift, gritting his teeth in anger, while Optimus transformed, and got ready to pounce just in case.
"Let her go Makeshift!" Michael shouted.
"Makeshift?!" Bulkhead asked, surprised.
"What can a boy like you do to me?" The 'Con asked, smirking. Michael didn't reply. Instead, he shifted to his Cybertronian form, and summoned his Keyblade. Makeshift was surprised, but not detered. Everyone then noticed Michael's optics: Instead of them being two different colors, both of the Techno-Organic's optics were red. Red, and blazing with anger. Makeshift then looked at the Groundbridge controls, and saw that the defrag process was now complete.
"About time!" The 'Con said, and fired the bridge up. He moved slowly back towards the bridge, as everyone ganged up on him from all sides apart from the back, which faced the open portal.
"Let's get this party started!" He shouted smugly. Then, something jumped through the bridge and hit him from the back, shoving him forwards and into the human area, nearly knocking him out: It was Wheeljack, the real Wheeljack.
"I'd shut that hole before the stink comes through." He said, as he sheathed his katanas. He then looked over at Michael, as Ratchet shut the bridge down. The Wrecker looked him up and down, studying his appearance.
"You a 'Con?" He asked. Michael shook his helm, and banished his Keyblade, his left optic returning to its normal blue.
Everyone stood back as Makeshift recovered.
"You'll pay for that!" The 'Con shouted, and unsheathed his blades, deploying his mask. Wheeljack growled at his doppelganger, and unsheathed his own blades, deploying his mask as well.
The two mechs circled eachother as everyone watched on. Bulkhead, who wanted payback for what the imposter did to Miko, and for fooling him the whole time, bashed his fists together in anger, but one of the Wheeljacks spoke up.
"Ugly's mine." He said, as he passed Bulkhead. Then, the two identical bots charged, their blades clashing against eachother, sparks flying from the contact.
"Which one is the real Wheeljack?" Raf asked. Miko tried to keep track with her finger, but gave up.
"Uhhh... I lost track." She replied.
Meanwhile, the two Wheeljacks fought hard against eachother, going on both offense and defense repeatedly. Soon, one of the Wheeljacks got the upper hand, and sent the other to the ground, defeated.
"That's my Jackie." Bulkhead said, as he looked back at the Arcee and Bumblebee. The winning Wheeljack, the real Wheeljack, sheathed his blades and retracted his mask.
"You, hit the switch." He said the Ratchet, who nodded, and walked towards the controls. "It's time to take out the trash." Bulkhead then walked up.
"All yours, buddy." The white mech said. Bulkhead was about to pick up the faker when Michael spoke up.
"Wait, don't throw him out yet." He said, as everyone looked at him. "He knows the location to the base." He continued. Everyone looked shocked at this revelation, except for Miko who looked embarrassed as she realized her mistake. "If we throw him through, the base's location is compromised."
"What do you suppose we do?" Wheeljack asked. "Snuff his Spark?"
"Actually," Michael said, a devious look adorning his faceplate. "I've got a better idea."
Michael then shifted to his human form, shocking Wheeljack in the process, and walked over the grenade attached to the copy's hip, and activated it.
Even though Michael felt very strongly about his beliefs, he had a very, very small list of exceptions to them, and in this case, Makeshift was one of them, as he knew that in order to keep the base protected, the imposter had to be taken out. The teen stepped back and nodded. The Groundbridge opened, and Bulkhead threw the 'Con through the bridge.
"Nice lob." Wheeljack commented.
Soon enough, Wheeljack had been introduced to Miko, Raf, Jack, and Michael, with Michael explaining his origins and showing the white Wrecker his Keyblade, which impressed the mech. The kids spent the night at the base, and as dawn approached, they, along with the other Autobots, minus Ratchet and Optimus, had another party to celebrate the true Wheeljack's arrival. The CMO, however, wasn't thrilled.
"It's like a recurring nightmare." He groaned, as he finished repairing Wheeljack's ship.
"Deal with it Doc Bot." Michael teased, while Ratchet glared at him.
"Now that you're part of Team Prime, we need to pick out a vehicle mode for you." Bulkhead said to Wheeljack. "I have some ideas."
"Uh... About that, Bulk... now that my ship's repaired, I'm... itchin' to know... what else I might find out there." He replied.
"Wait! You're leaving?! Why?!" Miko asked, as she, Jack, and Raf ran up.
"Because some bots never change." Bulkhead replied for Wheeljack.
"Wheeljack." Optimus began." Know that you will always have a haven here." He said, and the white mech nodded in thanks.
"Jackie never stays." Bulkhead said. "But he always comes back." And the two friends fist-bumped.
Soon, it was time for Wheeljack to leave, and everyone, apart from Optimus and Ratchet, came to see him off.
"There's room for two Bulk. Even with a backside like yours." Wheeljack said, inviting him to come with. "Who knows who we might find out there. Some of the old crew?"
Bulkhead considered for a moment, before looking back at the kids, or more specifically, Miko, who looked sad at the thought of him leaving.
"Sounds like fun Jackie, but my ties are here now. With them. With her." Bulkhead replied.
"If anything happens to my favorite Wrecker, I'm comin' after you." Said Wheeljack playfully.
"I'll take good care of him." Miko replied, and pulled out her phone. "Now. Say cheese!" She added, snapping a picture of them. Soon, Wheeljack boarded his ship, and they all watched as it disappeared into the early morning sky.
As they all headed back to base to start a new day, Michael couldn't help but smile at the fact that he had a new friend. Then he remembered his promise to Jessica. The promise that he intended to keep, and set about waiting for evening to arrive.
-----
In the early hours of Jasper, over at a highway that connected the town to other areas of Nevada, a tall, black Cybertronian hid in the shadows of the rising sun. His orange-yellow optics standing out against his black paint. He watched from afar as cars passed on the highway, waiting for the perfect candidate to appear.
Eventually, one did: A police cruiser.
It came to a halt on the highway, a traffic jam blocking the way.
The Cybertronian smirked at his luck, as such a car was exactly what he wanted, and proceeded to scan the vehicle, much to the surprise of the officers inside. The mech soon finished scanning, and the specs of the vehicle were uploaded to his T-Cog. His body shifted and changed to accommodate the new look. He grinned deviously at his new look, and transformed, driving further into the shadows of the rising sun.
Things just became much more interesting...
~~~
A/N: Well, there's Con Job done and dusted. What do you guys think of Jessica's backstory and her introduction here? Originally, I was going to introduce her next chapter, but I decided to introduce her here instead, as I had the perfect opportunity to do so with Michael going out with Optimus instead of remaining behind at the party. Also, who do you think is the mystery mech at the end? Let me know in the comments!
Next Chapter: Michael talks with Ratchet and Optimus about his feelings for Bumblebee, and while on a drive to figure things out on his own, takes the time to fulfill his promise to Jessica, but not everything goes according to plan...