Transformers: Shattered Glass

Chapter 24- Project: Black Knife

Some Years Later, Simmons Residence
Walter Simmons sat in his study, reading files of papers of his work dating back to 1898, photographs of N.B.E.-01 in the Arctic, the cube in the Colorado River, Roy Thompson's reports of several N.B.E.'s fighting in World War I, the death of the Newells, and finally the manhunt for Bonnie and Clyde. Unbeknownst to Sector Seven, Simmons had the foresight to make copies of reports and documents of the agency's classified operations. He picked up a photo of N.B.E.-01 frozen in ice and a photo of Captain Archibald Witwicky as he asked himself, "What would drive a feared pirate captain such as yourself to the Arctic? To be the first man to learn that we are not alone in the stars?" Simmons turned to see film reels labeled China, Greece, and Egypt respectively.

In a darkened room, Simmons watched with intent as a film reel camera projected a recording of married archaeologists and treasure hunters Merrick and Joan Falsworth exploring ancient ruins with hieroglyphs and symbols that Simmons recognized from his study of both the cube and N.B.E.-01. "The Falsworths theorized China, Greece, and Egypt came into contact with a completely unknown society," recalled Simmons. "What if the unknown society are the N.B.E.'s from Europe? The one that killed the Newells in '29?"

Simmons then heard his doorbell ringing as he went over to his front door and looked through the peephole. He saw that it was both Sector Seven agents his daughter Margo Simmons and Roy Thompson. "Hi, dad," greeted Margo, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Did you know keeping classified government files is against the law?" Simmons waved it off and replied, "Begone with that, Margo. I may have discovered a plausible theory about the N.B.E.'s." Roy entered inside with Margo as he stated, "Look, as much as I want to listen to your theory, we have orders to confiscate your copies of the S7 documents." Ignoring the man, Simmons closed the door and asked, "Do you remember the N.B.E.'s during your time in the Great War? And the one that murdered the Newells almost ten years ago?" Margo sighed, "How could I forget? My pursuit of the truth about them cost me my journalism career." They made it to Simmons' darkened study where the film projector was still playing the Falsworths' discovery as Roy switched the lights on. Margo began to take the documents away as Simmons continued, "Well, I believe that the Falsworths' discoveries and the Europe N.B.E.'s are connected. Given their presence in the Great War, they may have human collaborators in Europe." Margo turned to him and questioned, "Suppose these N.B.E.'s have collaborators, if humans are involved, what would they have to gain from the war and the Newells' murder?" Roy suggested, "Maybe to find N.B.E.-01 and the cube?" Simmons reminded, "They're still buried under six million layers of concrete, so they haven't found it... yet." Margo faced her estranged father and said firmly, "Listen, you're supposed to be in retirement. Contrary to your belief, you're not the center of my universe. In fact, we have bigger concerns going on around the country right now and instead, I'm here with a crazy old man spouting nonsense..." Roy stopped collecting documents for a second as an idea started to pop in his head. "Maybe he's on to something," suggested Roy. "You can't be serious..." said Margo, facing him and shaking her head in disapproval. Simmons stepped in and asked, "What is it?"

Roy peered at Margo who sighed and looked at the old man. "Sector Seven has us in an investigation right now," explained Margo. "They're calling it Project: Black Knife. Apparently, there's some strange energy signatures all over the world on some vehicles and some technology." Intrigued, Simmons asked, "How do you know that?" Roy answered, "The science heads developed some kind of new toy that could help us find them. Something about the N.B.E.'s havin' their own unique energy signature." Simmons then put on his coat and hat as he asked, "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go find them." Margo placed a hand on his shoulder and protested, "Now, wait just a minute. You're supposed to be retired!" Simmons shrugged, "Then maybe I'm not meant for retirement, Margo. I don't want to miss this opportunity to learn more than what I did before I found N.B.E.-01 in the ice."

Simmons walked out as Margo's brow twitched and Roy continued to pack up the files. "Typical Walter Simmons," muttered Margo, while helping her partner. "Deciding his obsession is more important than everything else, including his own family he had never met or even cared to know." Roy assured, "Hey, least ol' Wells stepped in and raised you right." She sighed, "For all the good that did." He asked, "Your boy's what, 13?" Margo corrected, "About to turn 15." Roy nodded, "Right, and you've been at all his birthdays up till now?" She nodded, "Yes. Why?" He answered, "'Cause you've been a Sector Seven agent for years now and always had time to be a part of your boy's life." Margo took this into consideration before several Sector Seven agents came in. "Sir, Mr. Simmons wants us to take him to base," said one of the agents. "Is that alright?" Roy turned to Margo and asked, "So how do we play this?" She thought about it and replied, "I'll take my father to base, you help agent Thompson with the documents." Margo left the room as Roy and the agents got to work. "Y'know, when I retire," said Roy, picking up some files. "I would want to spend it on a beachfront house with my feet up and drinkin' mimosas in Catalina." The first agent agreed, "Yeah, sir. I know our jobs involve investigating and covering up alien activity, but sometimes I just want to go home and forget about it." Roy nodded, "Don't take your job home, huh? That's good. That's good..."