Bumblebee retells the story as short and sweet and swiftly as possible to the Rescue Bots and their human partners.
Thunderhoof just leans back and relaxes, half paying attention to what is being said, in case there's something that Steeljaw forgot to tell him and the other Ex-Cons – accidentally or on purpose – when he told them the story, and half paying attention to that same mech's daughter, falling back asleep as nothing interested her at the moment.
– hours later –
"And since then, we've left the 'Cons alone, so long as they follow a few rules..." Bumblebee turns around. "One of which I hope you have a very good reason for breaking, Thunderhoof."
"Yous have no idea. You see, Phantomjaw returned from his last job, but said nobody else knew he was back on the planet. Then he gets a call from Steeljaw saying he knew he was back and wanted to meet, so we did. Ramulus and the bitlit were with 'im, and we got to talking, and we learned that Steeljaw didn't call. It was all a set-up by a mech Phantomjaw knew, a mech called Doubledealer. Apparently, he was hired to take Steeljaw and Ramulus to someone. I don't know who, but Steeljaw told me it might have something to do with his past, so he gave me his bitlit and forced me to leave. I just activated the bridge when Phantomjaw came running in and shoved me through the portal. Last I saw was Doubledealer chasing after him after he destroyed the controls, probably hoping to keep wherever the bitlit and I ended up a secret."
Thunderhoof circulated his vents, exhaustion returning for the dozenth time that day. All he wants is to take a shower and sleep. The crowd before him shares mixed reactions and mumble words too quiet for the Cervicon's audio receptors.
"So, if what I'm hearing is true, then Steeljaw and Ramulus, and maybe even Phantomjaw, too, are in trouble, and you're here by complete happenstance with Steeljaw's daughter because he didn't want either of you involved in whatever is going on?" Bumblebee summarized as he paced what little free room there was left of the cove.
Thunderhoof nodded, and all Bumblebee could do was cover his faceplate, throw his helm back, and cry into his cupped servos.
"Oh, Primus, why?"
The yellow and black mech removed his servos from his faceplate and lowered his shaking helm.
"This is going to be a nightmare."
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Heatwave offered.
Bumblebee looked around the area, at the Rescue Bots, the humans, Thunderhoof, before his optics settled on Steeljaw's daughter. The small, white pup was curled in a tight, recharging ball, snout tucked under her tail. Looking at her, there was no doubt in what must be done.
"Yes, you can," Bumblebee said. "You can provide Thunderhoof and the pup safety and shelter."
The resounding silence is deafening.
It is eventually broken by one mech.
"You're kidding, right?" Heatwave asked.
"Well, I can't very well bring Thunderhoof back to Cybertron, or return him to his current home until the danger has passed, and since he's already here..." Bumblebee trailed, expecting the others to fill in the blanks.
"And what exactly are we supposed to do with him? Give him free reign of the island?"
"Believe me, he's not going to sit around in one place for too long."
"Says you," Thunderhoof rumbled, gently grabbing Steeljaw's daughter and moving her onto a flat rock. She awoke from the move and looked up at her guardian with curious yellow optics.
"Steeljaw was the one who always had us moving. I was perfectly content with staying in one place, not that we've ever found one I particularly liked enough."
"You'll be fine cooped-up in the Bunker?" Bumblebee questioned as he raised an optical ridge. "Staying in the same place for days, maybe even weeks or months, without going outside or straying from the property?"
"I've done it before. Never had to go far unless I deemed it necessary."
"Right... I nearly forgot, with your former profession, you rarely got your own hands dirty. You had a whole bunch of muscle to go out and do stuff for you."
Thunderhoof flinched at Bumblebee's words. He narrowed his optics and clenched his fists, taking what he heard as an insult.
"Don't mean I didn't do my fair share! Some tasks were apparently too difficult for my subordinates. Ain't that the reason for the saying? If yous want somethin' done right, then yous got to do it yourself?"
The Autobot and the Ex-Con's glares remain unwavering.
"Bumblebee, what are you two talking about?" Heatwave demanded, then pointed to Thunderhoof. "Who is he, really?"
Resigned to the inevitable, Bumblebee vented and answered.
"His name is Thunderhoof, and he used to be a mafia boss back on Cybertron."
The other Autobots and the humans all stare at him, eyes wide and mouths agape. They remain quiet as Bumblebee continues.
"When I was reassigned to Earth, he was one of the many Decepticon prisoners that escaped when the prison ship Alchemor crash-landed, damaging their stasis pods and releasing them. He was one of the strongest, more clever Cons my team and I had to deal with, as well as one of the most stubborn and temperamental ones. He was caught and escaped multiple times, and he was sentenced to trial, but then the whole Decepticon Island thing came up, one thing led to another, and now here we are."
"Not breaking rules on purpose, for once," Thunderhoof mentioned, trying to stay on the Autobots' good side, something he would never have ever considered under literally any other circumstance.
"True..."
"But isn't this, like, harboring a fugitive or something?" Kade interrupted, starting to freak out.
"That's certainly unsettling to think about when you put it like that," Graham said, averting his gaze and rubbing the back of his neck.
"You're telling me!" Dani said, wrapping her arms around her body.
Cody didn't say anything. Yes, he backed away from Thunderhoof when his criminal background was brought to light for them all to know, but he didn't go very far. He stood by Steeljaw's daughter, who appeared quite invested in whatever's happening.
"Bumblebee, I trust you, we all do, but are you certain of this?" Chief Burns asked.
The addressed mech lowered himself to one knee until he and the human were almost eye-to-eye.
"Honestly, no, but as of right now, Griffin Rock is the safest place for both Thunderhoof and the sparkling. I wouldn't ask you to do something like this unless I felt like it was the best option of any available. They can't return home, and they certainly can't go to Cybertron. I don't know of any other planets I would trust leaving them on. Earth is my best option, and considering how good you all are at holding secrets..."
Bumblebee let his gaze wander, being sure to focus on every rescue team member present.
"I'm positive you'll have no trouble keeping them safe and hidden from any outside dangers."
All was silent. Nobody could think of anything to say in response to Bumblebee. The Chief was staring intensely at the mech's blue optics, practically looking through them and at his spark, looking for something. What that something is, not even the Chief really knows. He turns away from Bumblebee and, much to his family's surprise, approaches Thunderhoof.
The Cervicon narrows his red optics at the elder human. His gait was cautious yet confident, quick yet tense. He was on-edge, but put on a brave face in order to do his job. Thunderhoof had to admit that he was impressed.
Humans were always so full of surprises!
A few feet away from Thunderhoof, Chief Burns stops and proceeds to analyze him, just like he did with Bumblebee. He held that gaze for a few tense minutes. Then, he broke it, looking at something off to the side. An audible hum escapes him.
"Dad?"
"Chief?"
The rescue team questions their human leader, but he chooses to ignore them, instead focusing on what caught his interest. He walked to Thunderhoof's left side and stopped by his injured hoof.
"May I?" Chief Burns asked, looking to Thunderhoof for permission as he raised a hand, palm facing upward. Recognizing the gesture as a sign that the human meant no ill-will, Thunderhoof tentatively nodded.
Permission granted, Chief Burns' moved closer. He placed his hand on the horribly melded, salt and sand-covered blue plating and slowly, carefully, guided it across, feeling every little thing that Thunderhoof couldn't see or really do anything about. True, a Cybertronian's vision is much better than a human's, but due to their small size, humans can reach places that Cybertronians wish they could get to.
A sudden flare of burning pain erupts from the area. Chief Burns just barely gets out of the way in time as Thunderhoof's injured leg jerks forward, almost like it was trying to kick any dangers away. In turn, Thunderhoof grinded his jaw, refusing to cry out in pain. His servos dug into the sand, and he desperately tried and failed to keep his leg from reacting on its own.
Clearly, some control wiring has been damaged.
"DAD!"
"CHIEF!"
The humans ran to their father's side and pulled him away from Thunderhoof. They hid behind the Autobots who had immediately set up a defensive perimeter and encircled the Ex-Con.
"Told ya you'd want me around," High Tide commented.
"Whatever," Heatwave grumbled, his optics still fixated on Thunderhoof. "Were you really just trying to trick us? Lie and get your way?"
Thunderhoof chuckled darkly.
"Yous Autobots really only have one concept of Decepticons, huh? How's about you let me grant you this little fun fact? Just because deception is part of the name, doesn't mean we're liars. If anything..."
He just turned his hoof a little as he shifted in place, about to give the Autobots another piece of his mind, when a new pain erupted from his injury. He wasn't prepared for the feel of something sharp sliding in and out of his proto-form. Unable to hold back a groan, Thunderhoof forced his leg to bend, then wrapped his arms around it and held it against his chassis. The action produced more pain, but it was back to being more burn than stab.
Thunderhoof could handle that.
What he couldn't handle were the assorted levels of concerned gazes locked on him. He loathed being seen like this: weak, injured, and at the mercy of Autobots. Even the humans could do something to him if they wanted to, not that he believed these humans capable of such things.
"Thunderhoof..."
It was Bumblebee, speaking first before getting closer, making sure he doesn't startle Thunderhoof when he crouches beside him.
"What's wrong? What's happening?"
Thunderhoof didn't answer. His optics were shut tight, and his vents were quick and haggard. Bumblebee didn't like that one bit. He shuffled closer to Thunderhoof and wrapped an arm around his shoulder plates. The Ex-Con shivered and leaned into the touch.
"Thunderhoof?" Bumblebee repeated, extremely concerned.
"S...Something's out of place," Thunderhoof rasped, hot air from his labored circulation tickling Bumblebee's neck. "Feels like... being stabbed..."
If he was fully conscious, Thunderhoof wouldn't have whined, but he's nowhere near in control of himself right now, so all bets are off. His frame goes slack in Bumblebee's hold. Thinking quickly, the yellow and black mech tightens his grip around Thunderhoof and uses his free servo to cushion his chassis. Upon impact, he flinches.
"Primus, you're burning up," Bumblebee gasped. He looked up to the rescue team.
"We need to get him to med-bay, now!"