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─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Griffin shifted in discomfort, neck tense as he turned it. He could feel sunlight on his eyes. Sighing, he squeezed his eyes harder in an attempt to block it out before realization hit him.

He'd fallen asleep.

"Fae?" he called out in a panicked voice, eyes springing open. He reached one hand out to search frantically beside him before realizing she wasn't next to him anymore.

Jumping up, he twisted around and called out several times. No, no, no- this can't be happening. Anxiety riddled his thoughts as he shielded his eyes from the sun in a desperate attempt to get a better look around him.

Their bag was opened, and a bag of chips was missing. Had she gotten up and eaten already? Then where could she be? Calm down, he tried to reassure himself, I'm sure she's here somewhere.

Still, he couldn't sit and wait for her to show up. Adrenaline was pumping through his veins. It felt as if his heart had leapt into his throat. The woods were thick, and he worried she wouldn't be able to find her way back. No matter how much he loved her, they both knew she could get lost in her own closet.

"Fae!" He called out desperately for several minutes, keeping a mental note of anything around him that he could use to lead them back to their makeshift campsite.

Wind blew gently around him, knocking branches and leaves into each other. His footsteps made noise as he walked, the crunching louder and louder as he picked up his pace.

A voice suddenly sounded from somewhere in front of him, making him tense. It was soft but getting louder as the seconds passed. Frozen in his spot, Griffin stared with wide eyes as his hands gripped the gun in his hands.

"The signal is stronger than before," the voice said, growing closer.

Griffin was trembling but forced himself forward, tiptoeing through the brush and crouching down to get a better look at the person. He could see a male figure several yards away, standing beside another man, who was a few inches shorter.

"I would appreciate it if we could speed up this process- who knows what Bulkhead is doing while I'm gone."

The first man smiled, chuckling softly as he turned to look at him- "I'm sure he is perfectly capable of keeping watch over the base while we are away."

"He's a walking wrecking ball," the second man, seemingly grumpier, huffed out.

Griffin's eyebrows scrunched together as he stared in confusion. Who were these two? They looked nothing like the men from before, dressed in more casual clothing instead of military uniforms and all-black. But why were they here, strolling casually through the woods?

Sure, there were a few homes spread out along the area, similar to his home, but the people were often those who moved from the city for a more peaceful place to live. They didn't tend to wander miles into the woods. That, and there were no public trails nearby.

"Oh!" The grumpier man glanced down at a phone-shaped device as it beeped, eyes widening. "The signal is moving."

"Moving?"

"Yes. It appears the relic has been discovered by someone else."

Griffin's grip on the gun tightened, teeth clenching in fear. They were with the other men. His fear grew ten-fold as he realized that these men were nearby with his sister nowhere to be found.

He needed answers.

"I suggest we- woah-" The man cut himself off as he spotted Griffin slowly emerging from the brush. The first man paused, looking confused until he too spotted the boy, body trembling, gun aimed at them.

"What in the name of Primus-"

Griffin pointed his gun toward the shorter one. "Stop talking. I need to ask you two a few questions."

"Optimus, we have a civilian," he ignored Griffin and turned to the other man.

"Stop talking!" Griffin took the gun off of safety, cocking it as he took a few steps forward.

"Ratchet," the tall man whispered, "do not engage in combat. You know we cannot harm humans."

The short man, Ratchet, whatever kind of name that was, huffed and slowly raised his hands up. 

"And what do you suggest we do?"

His eyes widened in surprise as the gun went off, the bullet hitting the dirt a few mere inches from his foot. Griffin cocked the gun again, aware that he only had a few bullets left. He hated wasting them, but these two weren't taking him seriously.

"Optimus-" Ratchet whispered so quiet Griffin could barely hear him.

Optimus slowly raised his hands as well, trying his best not to look like a threat. "We wish you no harm, young man. What is this about?"

Griffin kept himself out of reach, distancing himself in case he needed to run. The man's question made him angrier, but he took a deep breath to calm himself. He wasn't going to get anywhere if he couldn't think straight.

"I want to know why you're here, and where your friends are."

"Friends?" Optimus asked in confusion.

"We're out here alone," Ratchet huffed, narrowing his eyes at the boy. "We do not know what you are insinuating, but I doubt we're the ones you are looking for."

"There's no point in lying to me. I know who you are- you're looking for the relic. I heard you myself!"

The two looked shocked at his statement and slowly glanced at each other. Griffin stayed alert as Optimus raised his hands higher.

"How do you know about the relic, young one?"

Young one? I'm nineteen, Griffin thought to himself before shaking the thought away. This wasn't the time to get defensive about his lack of age-defining facial hair.

"I know about the relic because you guys broke into my house and murdered my family," he ground out in anger, seething now.

"They are after the relic" Ratchet whispered.

"They? Who is they?" No, the conversation was going around in circles. "I'm going to ask this once. You're dead if I don't like the answer. Where are the rest of your men? Where is my sister!"

Optimus startled him by taking a slow step forward. "We are not who you think we are, young one. I do not know about the whereabouts of your sister, or the events that have happened with your family."

Feeling intimidated by the man's height, Griffin lifted his aim and took a step away. "Stay back!"

"Optimus, we don't have time for this. If the relic is moving, and what the child is saying is true, there's a possibility they have already found it."

The man was only a few feet away now, a concerned look on his face. "The safety of this child comes first, Ratchet.

Optimus reached out slowly. Griffin reacted in fear, pulling the trigger and wincing as the bullet hit the man square between the eyes. Much to his surprise, it ricocheted away and hit a tree nearby.

Oh my God. Griffin's eyes widened as the man took hold of his wrist, uninjured, and pulled the gun from his grasp.

"You are hyperventilating. It is unsafe to hold a firearm while panicking."

"Optimus! The signal is moving again!" Ratchet called from his spot, no longer still and pulling out his device a second time, staring intently at the screen.

Griffin trembled in the man's grasp. It was surprisingly gentle, but he was desperate to get away. Tugging hard, he landed on his back. It took a moment to realize that the man had released him as soon as he pulled.

"What kind of game are you playing?" Griffin shouted.

A scream sounded from nearby before Optimus could answer, making all three of them look up. Griffin felt his blood run cold in realization.

"Fae!"

He was already scrambling to his feet, ignoring Optimus' shout from behind him as he ran toward his sister as she screamed again. Breaking through the brush and branches, he began to hear shouting as he got closer.

"Stay still!"

"Let go of me!"

Griffin spotted her in the distance, fighting in the grasp of two men. The one shouting was in front of her and beside them were two others, both heavily armed.

Fae screamed and kicked, only becoming silent after the man screaming slapped her so hard her head snapped to one side.

"Where is the relic?" the man asked lowly.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" she spit back, blood dripping from her busted lip.

The two armed men turned suddenly as they heard Griffin approach, surprised to see him lunge forward.

"Griffin!" Fae yelled in surprise.

Griffin tackled the man who slapped her, laying a solid punch in the jaw before he was hit in the throat and knocked to the ground. A heavy weight was on his chest, and he struggled to breathe as the man put pressure on his throat with one foot.

"Leave him alone!" Fae screamed.

Griffin gripped the man's ankle, choking and gasping for breath. He tried to kick his feet out but the pressure only came down harder, and he was forced to stop moving.

The man raised his hand, signaling the armed men to stand down. Griffin watched as they took a step back. Fae stared down at him with fear in her eyes, a bruise already forming on her face.

He wished he'd taken his gun back from Optimus. He had run without thinking clearly.

"This is how it's going to go," the man said, leaning down and staring at Griffin with intense eyes, "You are going to tell me everything you know about the relic."

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Griffin gasped out, "We have no idea what that is!"

He scoffed, removing his foot and taking a short step back.

"Then you are no use to me."

The guns were raised again, making him flinch. Fae started to fight again, kicking out and doing her best to move out of the unrelenting hold upon her.

"Release her."

Griffin's eyes opened in surprise as they allowed her to move forward, falling onto her knees and lifting his chin up to look at his neck. 

"Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah," he choked out.

The sound of a crackling silenced the two of them. Placing a finger to his ear, the man in front of them paused to speak to someone.

"What did you find?" Another pause. "What is your location?"

Griffin felt fear run up his spine as the man glanced down at them, making direct eye contact and smiling.

"Copy. Meet back at the rendezvous point."

Fae grasped onto Griffin's arm, trembling as the man's grin widened.

"Good news you two. We've collected the relic, so you're free to go." Raising his hand, the two watched as the men raised their guns again, waiting for the command to take fire.

"Griffin," Fae whispered in panic.

"It'll be okay," Griffin lied through his teeth as he looked around, desperately looking for a way out.

The guns clicked. Not knowing what else to do, Griffin shoved Fae over and covered her as best he could as gunshots rang out.

A cry rang out as Griffin felt something hit his arm, but he held onto Fae for dear life. It took a moment for him to realize that one of the men firing had also cried out in pain. More gunshots rang out, the aim shifting to somewhere behind them.

He peaked up, gasping as he spotted Ratchet holding the firearm Optimus had stolen. A dark look covered his face as a sudden movement made him fire again in warning.

Turning his head, Griffin could see Optimus standing in front of him and Fae, bullets bouncing off with no effect. The man in charge of the group snarled, anger written across his face.

"Cybertronians." He spat the word out with such hate even Griffin flinched. Optimus simply looked back at Ratchet, a knowing look on his face.

"Do not aim to kill, old friend."

"You doubt my self restraint?"

"Yes."

Fae looked between the two, confusion written on her face before she spotted the blood running down Griffin's arm. She gasped, tears forming as she tried to shove him off of her.

"Griffin, you're hurt!"

"Don't move!" he hissed back. He still didn't know who he could trust. Sure, these two were saving them, but the man had called them Cybertronians. It sounded... alien.

"Ratchet- take the children away from here," Optimus ordered, still standing as a shield in front of them.

"Optimus, the relic-"

"I have already informed Wheeljack."

Fae looked to Griffin in bewilderment. Wheeljack,? she mouthed in confusion. He didn't blame her. It sounded like they were named with some kind of online name-generator kids used.

"Stand up," Ratchet said as he approached them. Griffin forced himself up, standing between him and Fae, earning an eye roll. "If you do not move right now you are susceptible to critical damage from that wound. I'm a medic. Now move, or I'll leave you here to die."

"Ratchet-" Optimus said in warning.

Fae stood, nodding frantically. "Let's go, Griffin."

"Wait-"

"I swear if you argue with me I'm going to slap you so hard." she ground out. She tended to get violent when upset. Griffin's eyes widened as she pulled him forward, making sure not to touch his gunshot wound.

Ratchet seemed surprised at her attitude, looking down at her as she finally approached him. "And if you hurt him I'm going to kick you in the nuts. Got it?"

Griffin was reminded of the fact that bullets couldn't hurt them but was too scared to correct her.

Ratchet smirked slightly but it fell quickly as he turned. 

"Just follow me." He touched a hand to his ear and spoke, "Bulkhead. Activate the groundbridge."

"Groundbridge? What-"

Fae gasped as he fizzled out of existence. Griffin rubbed at his eyes, wondering if the lack of blood was making him delirious. In the next few moments, a swirling portal of blue and green appeared, towering over them.

Clank, clank, clank- giant metal footsteps could be heard as a large figure suddenly appeared. Fae squeaked, eyes wide, as the white and orange robot lowered himself to the ground. With a hand extended, he looked at the two expectantly.

"Climb on."

When they didn't move, the other hand gently picked them up before they could react. Fae went to say something, but the robot chuckled dryly.

"Just a warning- It'll be pretty hard for you to, as you say, kick me in the nuts when I'm in this form."