:Their child and parent bond is stronger than I thought.: Starscream noted, both him and Barricade having been watching the two through the cafeteria cameras from their usual corners. They both stood mirroring each other with their back leaned against the hangar walls, arms crossed. :A shame. I would have enjoyed watching the two bicker needlessly.:

         :It would have benefitted us, no doubt.: Barricade agreed. :Though, Vector Sigma claiming she's safe with the both of us is nonsense.:

         :Is it so nonsensical?: The black and white colored mech snapped his attention to the Seeker. :You had the perfect opportunity to let the woman die, several times, and yet you couldn't allow it.:

     Barricade's attention returned to the floor, glaring at it. 

         :Not even you can say you didn't have any similar opportunities.: He returned, refusing to look at the flier.

         :No, I cannot.: Starscream admitted. :But I can make sense of it. You on the other hand- I can see you're more frustrated with the predicament than I am.:

         :You try being trapped on the ground with a pair of speedsters.: Barricade growled audibly, earning the slight attention of the tip-toeing Miles, who froze before bolting to the returning Optimus.

         :Here she comes.: Starscream warned, noting that Marissa had returned with the Autobot leader, likely conversating about what would be done about Vector Sigma. 

     Two Decepticons stood glaring at the patient and kind mech, who noted their hate-filled optics. Optimus frowned lightly before pointing his attention toward the running, sandy-haired boy. Miles grinned shyly at Marissa, who gave her own smile and a wave in return. She nodded at Optimus before leaving them to talk. The Prime's frown deepened as she strolled to keep the two Decepticons company. 

         "Hey, so-" Miles started, scratching the back of his neck, "Ratchet told me about the seating chart change. Is that actually going to happen?"

     The titan before him blinked, attempting to bring his attention back to the boy. He had to think a moment to put his answer in order.

         "I believe so, Miles. To ensure the safety of you and the others, especially while Starscream and Barricade remain among us. Is there someone you'd rather ride with besides Ironhide?"

         "I mean-" Miles coughed, continuing to scratch behind his head. "I was hoping to stay with you, or maybe ride with Sam and Bee. Sam's gonna need some reassurance, 'cause he doesn't like the idea of letting Mikaela ride with Knockout considering he's, well- not really an Autobot?"

     Optimus looked over his team, both human and Cybertronian. Indeed, Sam was trying to talk Ironhide and Mikaela into changing their minds. Mostly Mikaela, considering Ironhide would likely take the girl back as his charge in a heartbeat (or rather: sparkbeat). Lennox was to ride with him, and Marissa would accompany her father with Blurr. That left Ratchet without a charge, but, if need be, he'd have to transform quicker than others as the only medical aid trusted amongst the group. Both Velocitronians were quicker on wheels, anyway. For the human's safety, however, they needed to remain with separate guardians in case they needed to split up (The Faireborn's being the only exception to ease the older man's mind). 

         "Despite his finicky allegiances," Optimus told the young man, "Knockout is not likely to abduct Mikaela."

         "Keeping a fleshy in my subspace, willingly?" Said pompous pretty-boy huffed, having been eavesdropping from a corner near the hangar door. "I think not. Besides, it's not me taking off with one of your little pe-" Optimus gently glared at the mech in warning, so Knockout changed his vocabulary. "Precious humans, that you should be worried about. It's the other two." 

     He pointed with his thumb-digit, discreetly, at the two Decepticons. They were apparently very focused, and confused, at whatever Marissa had to say to them.

         "Uh- yeah, point there." Miles nodded. "But then, why aren't you arguing to be the only bot without a charge?"

         "Because-" was all Knockout could seem to say, saved from having to explain himself when Blurr waved him over to properly introduce the mech to his new charge.

     Miles looked up at Optimus with a confused shrug. A silent 'what's up with that guy?' motion that made the bigger being shake his helm in a 'it's a long story' kind of way. The young adult only nodded halfheartedly, turning to identify the new set of footsteps coming in from the outside. It was only Shane, who nodded toward the boy with a soft smile before a serious mask took over, and he nodded to Optimus as he passed the both of them silently.

         "I don't think he likes us." Miles admitted.

     Optimus said nothing, watching the slumped posture of the father figure observe the odd trio of Decepticons and singular human converse in the back. The three didn't seem to notice, they didn't need to anyway, Mr. Faireborn finding his way back into the temporary sleeping quarters. 

     There was a darkening air about the man, but he hid it well. Optimus wasn't sure of whether or not he had always been that way, or if something inside of the human mech had been waiting, dormant, for the perfect time to reveal itself. He guessed he could question Marissa about her father, but it likely would cause Shane Faireborn to further dislike the Autobots. If he caught wind of it, anyway. Still, the worried parent was giving way to an angry parent, and it was beginning to concern the Prime. 

)-/\-(

         "Roll out?" Marissa raised a brow. 

         "It's Prime's way of saying we're hitting the road." Sam and Mikaela were packing what belongings they had taken with them. The others had already cleaned their spaces, Shane even having taken apart and tidied up both his shot gun and a gifted pistol in the main hangar bay. Whether or not it was a show of dominance or defiance against the two Decepticons, no one was brave enough to ask. "We'll probably head back to California, that's where we're from."

         "Tranquility." Mikaela specified. "Cute name, boring place. Until the Autobots came along, anyway."

     The older woman merely nodded, folding up the cot she had been using for the past two days. She was still mildly shocked that her entire adventure hadn't even started a week ago. Only four days prior she was taking care of her father's goats and absentmindedly talking to an unknown entity. It didn't take long to knock her whole world upside-down. She felt she was taking it rather well regardless, even Barricade and Starscream seemed taken aback by how well she handled such a perilous situation. 

         "How'd you two react to the Autobots?" Marissa questioned, wondering if perhaps they had a similar reaction.

     Mikaela was first to answer.

         "Sam here thought his car was being stolen," she pointed with her thumb, "then basically screamed like a girl-"

         "I did not!"

         "Pretty sure he called Bumblebee a demon car? In other words, he was terrified. To be frank I was too, considering my first major encounter was with Barricade."

         "Really?" Marissa's chocolate eyes were wide, wondering how on earth that could have gone. Certainly not as nice as her first encounter with the interrogator. "Did he abduct you?"

         "Bumblebee got to us before that hunk of junk could." Sam stated, relieved. "Frenzy turned into Mikaela's phone, though, and stalked us for a while."

     Asking about Frenzy, Mikaela and Sam found it difficult to explain exactly what Frenzy was. The younger woman made an educated guess that he was a Minicon, admitting that she wasn't sure because of Ironhide's explanation that Minicons were more like support items. Not attached spies. It eased Marissa's curiosity and the three continued packing what was left, the oldest human in the room putting the other's cots away since she had nothing except the flannel wrapped around her waist.

     All in all, Marissa found that she was the only one to react as level-headedly as she did. She wondered if it was because of some influence caused by Vector Sigma, but a now familiar 'plip' told it was simply not so. He held no influence over an alien, only his own creation. Once again, she did not feel lied to, and so felt confident in her own abilities to remain logical in at least some situations. 

         'When I was falling out of a cockpit is certainly an exception.' The woman sighed, chuckling to herself as she set the last cot in a corner.

     She watched as Mikaela and her boyfriend carried their backpacks out of the small room. Sam hugged the younger woman to his side before they separated ways. Marissa first followed Sam for a way, noting the guardians of each human were already transformed. 

     Lennox had already placed his duffel bag in Optimus Prime's passenger seat, watching everyone else prepare to leave. Miles was clearly uncomfortable in Ironhide's cab, biting on a fingernail as he waited to go. Mikaela greeted the alternate form of Knockout before setting her bag in the back of his trunk and letting him close the hatch. The mech even opened his driver's side door, as if to act the part of a gentleman, and closed it after her. Marissa was sure she watched the belt wrap around the woman on its own as well. 

     Sam, on the other hand, appeared a little jealous as he opened Bumblebee's driver's door himself and threw his bag in the back seat. He was either waiting for a similar treatment of the buckle wrapping around him or wasn't wearing one in defiance. Bee's radio chirped the "clicket or ticket" ad and he seemed to remember the safety device. It amused the woman watching, making her giggle at the innocent childishness.

     Her attention transferred to the revving engine of Blurr. He waited with his hatch open, an impatient looking Shane standing just beside him. In response, Marissa waved before briskly walking toward the transformed Barricade.

     Quickly realizing what his daughter was doing, Shane jogged to the woman, only to be dodged and ran away from. 

         "What do you think you're doing!" Her father demanded, jogging faster to catch his deranged descendant.

         "What do you think?" She huffed, practicing evasive maneuvers as she jumped over a box. "I'm headed to Barricade, my guardian?"

     Her path was blocked by a yellow and red, metallic pede.

         "Are you insane?!" Ratchet gaped. "You have been assigned to Blurr, end of story."

         "There's been a change in plan, medic." Barricade transformed, pushing the older bot out of his way. Shane attempted to grab his daughter by the shoulders to haul her back, but the familiar 'enslave' passed his vision and she was out of reach again. "The human has decided to ride with me."

         "Marissa what are you thinking?" Shane seethed from the floor.

         "Put Ms. Faireborn down, Barricade." Optimus ordered as he transformed, followed by Ironhide and Bumblebee once their charges had exited their cab. "It was agreed upon and ultimately decided that she will ride with Blurr and her parental unit. For both their safeties, it is the only option."

         "Honestly." Marissa rolled her eyes, fidgeting in Barricade's hold until he loosened his grip. "I never agreed to that. You all decided what was best for me. It's kind of cramped in Blurr's subspace anyway with two people. Sure, one is comfortable but dad's a bit bigger than me."

         "Marissa, we cannot risk Vector Sigma-"

         "He's fine, Optimus." She interrupted, Barricade's four optics barely holding back an expression of surprise. "I trust his judgement."

     What she didn't mention was that the entity didn't feel safe around her father. She had tried to assure him that Shane Faireborn was a good man, but Vector Sigma insisted that she not put her guard down too much when around the elder. 

     Optimus's frown didn't leave, even as he nodded. The others blanched at the decision, attempting to argue with the leader. Shane was no exception as he followed the Prime until the being transformed. 

         "It is not a decision I make lightly, Mr. Faireborn." Optimus admitted. "However, she does make a point in that Blurr's subspace is too small to fit both of you comfortably. Also, if it is Vector Sigma who wishes it, who are we to go against him?"

         "You're trusting the life of my daughter in the hands of a lunatic." Shane seethed through his teeth.

         "You could attempt to go with her in Barricade's cab." Optimus offered, but the enraged human only became silent at the suggestion and stalked away without a word. 

     The group drove away from Camp Ripley (save for the Seeker), all charges strangely silent, though one was content in her captor's front seat. Shane, on the other hand, continued to seethe in Blurr's subspace, stewing in his own anger until he exhausted himself to sleep.