The Power Within - Transformers Prime (2)

Chapter Fourteen

Kinda odd chapter, but I had to get some info in.

[Amanda]

  "Hey Raf," I said, sitting down next to the younger boy on the top steps of the high school. It had been a few days since the MECH incident and the pain that used to fill my body had faded. So far Optimus was keeping an even closer eye on me than usual, but just because I think I gave him a scare the other day. Even Finn was doing the same.

  "H'llo A," Raf said, though he didn't turn his eyes away from what he was looking at. I frowned, trying to see what he was so focused on.

  "What are you looking at?" I asked, then I saw. Vince and his friends were at the bottom of the stairs, laughing and talking like idiots, as usual. My expression instantly soured. "Morons." I muttered under my breath.

  "Right," Raf agreed, but his tone shook a bit.

  I put my arm around his shoulders. "They won't touch you, Raf. Promise."

  The younger boy nodded, but didn't look too sure.

  "Come on," I stood, inclining for him to follow. "Let's go wait for the Bots by the road so we don't have to make a dash when they show."

  We both headed down the stairs, passing by Vince and his friends almost undetected. Almost.

  "Beckett!" Vince dashed to match my stride. "Having fun hanging out with the wimps?"

  I didn't look at him, stopping at the side of the road with Raf at my other side. "I could ask you the same thing."

  He ignored my jab. "You know, you should come to my race tonight. You have the cars, why don't you take a try at the track? That is, if you have the guts of course."

  "I'm not an idiot, Vince. I don't street race."

  "You're just scared of losing," he continued. "You've got this reputation and don't want to ruin it. Well let me tell you something, Beckett; I can dash that reputation if you don't race tonight."

  I raised an eyebrow. "Do what you want."

  "I will," he promised. "Starting with a friend of mine I met the other night on the track. I think the two of you should meet. There he is now."

  The roar of an engine made me look to the right to see a familiar sports car pull up to the school, stopping in front of the three of us.

  "K.O.!" Vince exclaimed and the car's window rolled down a fraction, not nearly enough to see inside.

  "Kid." Knockout replied, fake enthusiasm in his tone. "Are these the ones you've been telling me about?"

  Vince elbowed me, which made me fight the urge to punch him. "This is Beckett, the other is the nerd."

  "Beckett... We've met before." The Decepticon said. "Well, I'll be brief. Get in the car or I reveal my secret weapon." When I clenched my jaw, he laughed. "You know what I mean. Both of you, Beckett and nerd kid, in the car. Now."

  My eyes darted around quickly, searching for any of the Autobots who were supposed to be arriving any minute now, but found none. We couldn't not get in, then Knockout would transform and wreck havoc. So I took a steady breath, gave Raf a little nod, and opened the front door, climbing in as Raf got in the back. As we sat down, I secretly slipped Raf my phone, unlocking it so that he could contact the Autobots. The seatbelts immediately wrapped around us, trapping us in place as Knockout started speeding forward.