TransWarped

Chapter 8: Hostility, Regret, and Other Emotions

The ringing stopped with an abrupt click.

"Hello, this is June Darby. How can I help you?"

"Hello, June, this is Special Agent William Fowler. Yesterday was...a lot to process. I wanted to check in with you and-"

"Agent Fowler? Oh, I didn't realize I never saved your number! How's Jack? Did you find him? Is he alright? Can you bring him back?"

On the other end of the line, Agent Fowler grimaced. Arcee has asked him to call June. They only wanted to know if she was okay and Fowler knew June would only want information on her son. If only he had good news for her. "...Well ma'am we currently don't have any new developments. The ground bridge is still fried and the bots are trying to figure out the differences between ground bridge travel and the device they used. I was calling to see how you're doing. You were very upset when you left and...well, I wanted-"

"Please, Agent Fowler-" There was an abrupt pause as Jack's mother took in a shaky breath. "Thank you for calling but- Jack, I need you to focus on finding Jack."

"I-I know. I know...We're doing everything we can, I promise you that."

There was a long pause. In the background were the telltale sounds of a hospital, beeping monitors, chatter of patients and caretakers, and the thrum of wheelchairs and gurneys passing by. He could practically smell the rubber and disinfectant from here. After an eternity of silence, she finally responded but there was no warmth in her voice from that point on. "Agent Fowler, I'm at work right now so I can't talk."

"Ah, I see. I apologize for-"

"It's fine but I have to go now...and in the future, please only call me when you have news about Jack."

"...Will do, Ms. Darby."

"Goodbye."

With that, the line went dead.

Agent Fowler slapped his phone closed and shoved it into his pocket. That conversation went just as well as he'd assumed. He then glanced at the person sitting to his right, who was currently brooding in the shadow of the hangar. "Did that answer any of your questions?"

Arcee didn't respond. She had been a statue as she listened in on the call, one knee drawn to her chest while the other was outstretched. Agent Fowler originally assumed she was focusing on the conversation but now he wondered if Arcee had been paying attention at all. Her optics stared off into the distance and Fowler could practically see the gears slowly turning in her head.

What was going on in that head of hers? He didn't know Arcee well enough to guess.

The human let out a weary sigh before turning to head back inside. There was no use in standing around looking melancholy when there was work to be done inside. He needed to check on their progress with the ground bridge as well as the hunt for the Predacon bones. He'd told June they were doing everything they could to find Jack, and he was going to keep that promise.

Just before the human turned to go into the hangar, Arcee came out of her thoughts. She tapped a finger against her thigh and let out a dissatisfied sigh. "You were right. She wants nothing to do with us."

"It's not hard to see why." He snorted as he pivoted towards the Cybertronian.

He completely understood June's reaction. Jack was her only child, as far as he knew. Less than 24 hours ago, the poor woman had watched her son get sucked into a portal to God knows where. If he was in her position, he wouldn't be up for a friendly chat either. It was a miracle she'd gone to work, as he doubted she'd gotten a wink of sleep last night.