<Dylan's POV>
I stalked across the cafeteria at school towards the senior tables. My face was blank and I stood straight, as if someone shoved a rod up my back.
My friends eyes met mine. They knew. They knew how worried I was about him. I was too close to losing a second father.
Sam pressed pause on his phone and pulled his earbuds out of his ears. "You good, Val?"
My hands gripped my tray tight, then slid into the seat across from them. "Yeah." I took a breath and released my death grip on the lunch tray. "Yeah I'm good."
Blair threw her long braid over her shoulder and leaned over the table to place a hand on mine. "He'll be fine. KO is monitoring his condition 24/7 and I'm helping too."
"I know." My spoon traced circles in the chicken noodle soup. "I just..."
"Don't want to lose him." Samuel hummed. "We know. And no poorly concocted plan of screamers is gonna take him away from you."
He rubbed the back of his neck and grinned cheekily. "Sounders has cameras everywhere keeping an eye on him."
His hand caught on the bottom of his black beanie and it went flying off his head. It slid to a stop on the slick floor ten feet away.
Sam's sky blue eyes blinked owlishly. Bree and I looked at each other and started giggling madly. It felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders.
"Wonderful job, Sammy!" I proclaimed in a British accent and Bree applauded. "Absolutely marvelous."
He glowered at the two of us, then swung one leg over the lunch table bench and came face to face with none other than Miko Nakadai.
We were silent for a moment. Sam looked awkward and was leaning back a little in his seat. Blair smirked, and I shot her a warning glare.
The junior's crush on Sam was obvious, and we both knew Sam hated it.
Blair also knew that I liked Sam, and took every opportunity to tease me.
Miko held his beanie in her grip, intent on returning it to its owner. "Hey, Sammy!" She shoved the beanie out to him. "You dropped this."
"Don't call me Sammy."
Miko continued like she never heard him. Her eyes lit up in excitement. "You know the Halloween dance is coming up? We should go together!"
Sam pulled his beanie back over his shaggy blonde hair and scowled. "No."
The exchange student was not deterred. "We could go as a king and queen! No, that won't work." She concentrated. "Eh, we can come up with something later."
Sam looked at me, begging me for assistance and I rolled my eyes.
The bell rang, cutting off Miko's rant.
Sam stood up quickly, dumping his tray into the trashcan. Miko stepped back a few steps in surprise. "Well, look at that!" He exclaimed, looking at his bare wrist. "Lunch is up, let's go home."
"But-"
"Sorry, kid." Sam barely spared Miko a glance as we jogged to keep up with his long strides. "Rain check on that dance."
We barely made it out the school doors before Blair started laughing. "You really don't like her, do you?"
"I'm just glad seniors don't have to take full days." Sam shuddered. "It's bad enough I have her in my computer class."
"Oh, relax, you big baby," I chuckled. "It doesn't kill you to have some social interaction."
"Yes, yes it does."
Blair rolled her eyes and dragged us to the front of the school. "Huh." She frowned.
"What's up?" I asked, confused.
"He's not here." Bree muttered. "I hope he's-" Her phone rang and she answered. "Hey, where are you?"
It was Knockout on the phone.
Samuel shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned against the railing frowning impatiently, and I crossed my arms and looked around.
There weren't many cars out yet. There were a few beat up cars that belonged to other students and a large GMC truck that a fellow senior was climbing in. There were two sports cars: a flamed muscle car and a black and yellow Urbana, as well as a hybrid SUV, and a motorcycle.
"Avery," Blair growled, using Knockout's cover name. "Don't tell me you've been out racing again."
She was quiet and I heard her guardian trying to console her, unsuccessfully.
"But you went without me!" My friend whined.
Another silence.
"See you soon, then." She huffed and led the way down the steps, her face softening minutely. "Love you too, big bro."
She hit the end button and shoved her phone in her back pocket. "He'll be here in a second. He got wrapped up in a race."
I rolled my eyes in amusement and Samuel groaned. "He's gonna be complaining all night about dust in his gears isn't he?"
"Probably." Blair hummed. "But I promised I'd give him a new paint job anyway."
We were between the motorcycle and the flamed muscle car now, standing in an empty parking space. Out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw movement, but there was no one.
Were the handlebars on the bike leaning this way before?
Knockout didn't give me time to question why, choosing to pull up in front of us and roll down his window.
The holoform appeared 25 years old, and had one hand on the wheel and an elbow propped on the window seal. His free hand tipped his Raybans down nose and one swamp green eye winked at the trio. "You haven't happened to have seen a group of hoodlums have you? They answer to the names of Goldilocks, Elsa, and Ariel."
Blair gritted her teeth and stomped around to the passenger seat. "What have I told you about calling me that!" She threw her bag into the floorboard and climbed in, slamming the door. "I don't even like water."
Sam and I chuckled and jumped in the back seat as Knockout swatted at his charge playfully. "But you have the hair to match! And it's too fun."
"So, Doc," Sam drawled, stretching one leg over the knee of the other. "What's new at base?"
"Starscream manage to fuck up again?" I snickered.
Knockout smirked. "He managed to blow up an energon harvester."
I stared at the holoform. "Seriously?" My disbelief turned into a chuckle, then into a full out cackle. "Primus, he's so dead when Megs-" I cut off suddenly, remembering my own guardian was still in stasis.
Blair gibs slapped her brother figure and turned around to me. "Hey, Dyl?"
"Yeah?" I answered, my voice soft.
"How about a supernatural marathon tonight?" Sam groaned but BB ignored him. "We can invite Soundwave and the gang too?"
We hadn't had a movie marathon in a while, and I did miss our popcorn fights. "Fine."
Knockout grinned and pressed a button on his dash. "Soundwave, can we get a bridge?"
A ground bridge sprang to life in front of us and we drove through the swirling blue and green vortex.
••••
Behind a building, a small blue femme lifted a hand to the side of her helm.
:Optimus?: She said anxiously. :I think you need to hear this.:
••••
Knockout's holoform —>