When the four finally got back to base, Optimus and Ratchet looked at them expectantly.

The first thing Optimus noticed was Adelaide's expression, and then he saw the bruises forming on her arms.

"What happened?"

Bumblebee set Adelaide on the platform and she gave Optimus a nervous look.

"Nothing good," she said jokingly. Before Optimus could form his question to ask if her arms were okay, she spoke first. "I'm fine, Optimus. Trust me."

"You were grabbed by a Decepticon! He could've killed you," Arcee shot back, though she wasn't mad at the girl, more so that she herself didn't finish the Cons off before anything had happened.

"I'm fine! Can we get onto the more important topic? The cons attacked in bold daylight. We're lucky it ended as quickly as it did, with no casualties," Adelaide said, glancing at Optimus. She hoped that knowing that there was no deaths would put him at ease, even if a little bit.

"Well the Cons would've been scrap if I hadn't been distracted by the human," Arcee grumbled.

"Human?" Optimus raised a brow.

Bumblebee piped up with a few beeps.

"Two boys?"

"The second one caught us in action? I don't know? I was a little busy at the time."

"They got away safe. But the Cons did see them," Addie informed to which Optimus hummed.

"If the Decepticons are targeting us, anyone perceived as our ally will be at grave risk," Optimus replied as he turned back to his monitor. "Adelaide, you saw these boys, yes?"

"Yeah."

"Would you be able to track them down? We should find them before the Decepticons find them first."

Adelaide sat on the swivel chair in front of the human sized monitors and she spun around for a moment before stopping. "Don't think that's needed. They were definitely teenagers. Tomorrow's a school day. Just wait outside the school and they'll be there. Want me to pick them up?"

"No," Optimus denied as he looked down at her. "In this case, with the Decepticons possibly looking for the children, I would prefer if you were not in harms way. Arcee, you will go."

Bumblebee whirred in protest, wanting to be the one to pick up the boy who seemed to understand him.

"That's not possible," Ratchet scoffed.

"Why not? I understand Bee. And I saw it myself. He definitely knew what Bee was saying," Addie defended the scout as she narrowed her eyes at the medic.

Optimus waved the conversation to an end. "Alright, Bumblebee, you may retrieve the boy."

-

Jack walked out of the school building, more than relieved to be done with school for the day. He glanced over and saw the boy he had met the day before standing over by a tree, waving him over.

"Raf, hey," Jack spoke after walking over to the younger boy. "Look, let's just keep this between us and forget anything ever happened, okay?"

Before Raf could answer, there was a car horn that sounded from behind them.

Both boys turned to see the custom black and yellow muscle car from the previous day.

"Jack!" Rafael breathed excitedly, grabbing the older boy's sleeve.

Jack took a step back. "Oh, not again."

Bumblebee opened his passenger door before letting out a welcoming whir.

"It want us to get in," Jack realized.

"No, just me," Raf corrected with a bright smile.

"How do you know that?"

"It said so," the boy said matter of factly. "Yours is over there."

Jack looked to where Rafael had pointed and saw the motorcycle he had been kidnapped by.

"Look, I really don't think that-"

"How's it going?" Raf asked Bumblebee as he slid into the passenger seat.

"Raf?" Jack turned to see the door close before the car subsequently drove off. "Wait! Stop!"

The teen looked back at the motorcycle that sat in the school parking lot waiting for him. Without a second thought, he started walking home.

As he turned down into an alley, the motorcycle sped up in front of him, having a rider on it now.

"Relax. I just want to talk to you," Arcee spoke calmly.

"Don't you mean you and your new friend?"

Arcee deactivated her holoform which made Jack take a step back in surprise. "Kid, there's a lot you don't understand."

"No, I get it. The first rule about robot fight club is you don't talk about robot fight club. What you need to understand is I don't a bunch of crazy talking vehicles following me around, trying to get me killed!"

Arcee huffed and quickly transformed. "Look. Jack, is it? Your personal safety is exactly why Optimus Prime has requested your presence."

"Optimus who?"

"You may be in danger because you are one of the few, one of the only who have ever seen us," Arcee began to explain as she stayed knelt down to his level.

"Dude! What are you waiting for? Go with!"

Arcee and Jack turned to see a girl of asian decent peering around the corner.

Arcee groaned. "Scrap."

-

"Are you positive that your arms are okay?"

Adelaide, sat on Optimus's shoulder while playing a game on her phone, looked at him with a grimace.

"Optimus, if you ask me one more time, I will hit you," she threatened.

"I am only worried about your health," the Prime defended, stiffening as she flicked the side of his head. "Is that necessary?"

Addie snickered as she went back to playing her game. "Maybe not, but it was funny. If you must know, Optimus, my arms are just a bit sore. His grip was tight enough to bruise my skin, but he didn't break any bones or do anything else. You don't have to worry. What you should be worrying about is what we're gonna tell Fowler."

Just then, Bumblebee and Arcee came rolling in. Optimus lowered Adelaide to the floor and she made her way over to the center of the main room.

Bumblebee let Raf out before transforming back into his bipedal form.

Arcee allowed Jack and the new girl off before she also assumed bipedal form.

"I thought there were two?" Ratchet spoke as he looked at the three new humans.

"Haven't you heard? Humans multiply," Arcee snarked.

"I'm Raf," the youngest spoke with a small smile.

The new girl ran over to Bulkhead with a giant grin on her face. "I'm Miko! Who are you?!"

"Bulkhead," the wrecker replied, almost in more of a question.

"Are you a car? I bet you're a truck! A monster truck! Do you like heavy metal? How much do you weigh? Have you ever used a wrecking ball as a punching bag?!"

"Wow," Addie breathed as she stood stunned by the girl's energy.

"So, if you guys are robots, who made you?" Raf spoke once again, clutching the straps of his backpack.

Ratchet scoffed as he rolled his eyes. "Please."

Optimus took a few steps forward, drawing the attention towards himself. "We are autonomous robotic organisms from the planet Cybertron, also known as Autobots."

"Why are you here?" Jack asked as he peered up at the towering Prime.

"To protect your planet from the Decepticons," Optimus explained.

"The jokers who tried to bump us off last night," Arcee clarified and the two boys nodded in understanding.

"Okay. Why are they here?"

Optimus knelt down to face the humans. "A fair question, Jack. In part, they are here because our planet is uninhabitable, ravaged by centuries of civil war."

Now it was Raf's turn to ask a question. "Why were you fighting a war?"

"Foremost, over control of our world's supply of energon, the fuel and lifeblood of all Autobots and Decepticons alike," Optimus continued to explain. "The combat was fierce and endured for centuries. In the beginning, I fought alongside one I considered a brother. But in war, ideals can be corrupted, and it was thus that Megatron lost his way."

Miko yawned as she twirled her hair around her finger. "Is there gonna be a quiz."

"What does Megatron or any of this have to do with us?" Jack asked as he motioned to himself and the two standing beside him.

"Megatron has not been seen or heard from in some time. If his return is imminent, as I fear, it could be catastrophic," Optimus informed sternly.

"So, who is she?" Miko asked as she pointed to Adelaide.

"Miss Adelaide is our on-site liaison. She works for your government," Prime introduced.

Adelaide walked towards the three. "It's nice to meet you guys."

"So you live with aliens? That is the coolest thing I've ever heard!" Miko gushed.

"And since you now know of our existence, I fear now that as of last night, the Decepticons know of yours," Optimus continued to speak.

"Got it. If we spot any strange vehicles, call nine one one. Can we go now?" Jack asked anxiously.

"Are you insane? I am living a dream here in Botswana! And I will not allow you or anyone else to shatter it!" Miko shot nat the older boyy with a grimace.

Optimus humed lightly as he looked to Jack. "It is best that you three remain under our watch. At least, until we can determine our enemies' intentions."

"Optimus, with all due respect, is keeping three human children here with us the wisest idea? How do we know they'll keep their mouths shut?" Ratchet spoke, still questioning them being brought here in the first place.

"I believe we should trust that they will keep our secret, Ratchet," Optimus replied.

Just then, the proximity alarm went off and Adelaide groaned.

"Worst timing ever," she mumbled.

"What's that?" Jack asked quickly and Bumble gave a few answering beeps.

"Proximity sensor. Someone's up top," Raf translated for Jack and Miko.

Ratchet turned to his monitor and pulled up the roof feed. "It's Agent Fowler."

"I thought we were the only humans who knew about you guys," Jack said as he gestured to himself, Miko, Raf, and Addie.

"Special Agent Fowler is our designated liaison," Optimus started while Adelaide made her way up to the platform.

"In other words, he's my boss," Addie interrupted.

"As he tends to visit only when there are issues, it may be best if you do not meet him at this time," Optimus advised.

The three quickly got the message and ran to hide from the government agent before he could enter the base.

Adelaide stood on the main platform as Fowler exited the elevator.

"Seven wrecks, thirty four fender benders, a three hour traffic jam. And of particular note, numerous reports of a speeding motorcycle of unknown make and a black and yellow custom muscle car," Fowler started as he walkd over to the railing to confront the Autobot leader. "So, anything you care to get off your tin chest, Prime?"

"We have the situation under control, Agent Fowler," Optimus assured as he tried to appease the man.

"They're back aren't they?"

"If you are referring to the Decepticons, I have doubts that they ever left," Optimus returned. "Your planet is much too valuable."

"Then it's time to wake up the Pentagon," Fowler said swiftly.

"Hear me, Agent Fowler. We may be your best, if not your only defense against the Decepticon threat," Optimus warned as he leaned closer to Fowler.

"Says you."

"Hey, fleshy. Did anyone get splattered on that freeway?" Bulkhead drew attention to himself before grabbing one of Ratchet's tools. "Team Prime knows when to use force, and how much to use."

To enphasize his point, he squeezed the diagnostic tool until it popped.

"Bulkhead, I needed that!!" Ratchet cried as he snatched back his broken machine.

"Enough," Optimus chided as he glanced to his Autobots for only a moment before quickly returning his attention to Fowler. "Military involvement will only result in catastrophe. Perhaps you can condone widespread human casualties, Agent Fowler. I, however, cannot."

"Then do us both a favor and handle this, Prime, under the radar. Or I will," Fowler warned before turning to Adelaide. "And you, keep a tighter leash on them. I can't have anymore incidents."

Adelaide just nodded before Fowler disappeared back into the elevator.

"Pretty big bearings," Bulkhead spoke up. "For a human."

"Agent Fowler is concerned for his world, Bulkhead, as he should be," Optimus replied slowly.