These Paths We Tread (Autobot x OC)

V. Time Is Running Out

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“Catherine, turn around real quick,” Mikeala whispered, poking her from behind Sam. Catherine lifted her head to look at her and then at the other black-suited occupants of the vehicle. They were too busy talking amongst themselves or their headsets to notice anything so shifted in her seat to where she could lift her arms up. Sam helped by keeping them balanced on his thigh while the dark-haired girl went to work, picking the handcuff’s lock. The red-head was all too happy to bring her hands to her lap and rub her wrists, slightly raw from trying to work against her bonds. She mouthed a quick “thanks” before returning to her previous position.

For almost an hour now they had been driving on the freeway with the convoy of other black cars and a transport truck, but to where exactly was anybody’s guess. Nobody besides their captors probably knew, seeing as everything was “classified”. She only half-heartedly smiled at the thought, knowing they had become just that. Classified. Along with Bumblebee.

She squeezed her eyes shut as if in pain, trying to keep the image of those blue eyes staring at her with such sorrow and pain and despair and, worse of all, forgiveness. She hadn’t realized it at first, but there had been forgiveness in those blue lights. Despite everything happening, he hadn’t blamed them—hadn’t blamed them for falling and getting him into this mess nor the soldiers hurting him with those weird weapons. It was heartbreaking. She knew she wouldn’t have been so forgiving if she were in his place. She would have been furious and hateful, but not Bumblebee. He must have known they were only doing what they’d been trained and told to do for this situation. They were soldiers. He was a soldier. They were just playing their parts, and he happened to be on the shit end of the stick.

But by God he didn’t deserve it. He had saved them! Twice! Of course, those Sector Seven goons didn’t care; he was nothing but an alien—an object to them. He wasn’t that kind, funny, and protective robot who gave himself up to keep them safe, only to have his attempts be in vain. Just like she had. Just like she couldn’t do anything to help him. Just like she wasn’t supposed to be. She should have been able to do something—anything, but she had been powerless; completely and utterly helpless to save him, and nothing she could do could change that. No amount of imagining all the ways she could have done or said something different could change it. He was frozen and on his way to be subjected to all kinds of tortures, and there was nothing she could do.

Seems to be a common trait these days, she thought bitterly, letting her head fall against the window again. To make matters worse, she had lost the glasses. In the midst of all the running and confusion they had fallen from her pocket. She prayed the others had found them, but she didn’t know, and might never know, yet she retained hope despite how small it was. Still, it didn’t help her bitterness; only increased it. It made her sigh, closing her eyes again to try and block it all out. It didn’t go very well.

“I should have done something more,” Sam spoke softly, his eyes focused on his clenched hands in his lap. Both Catherine and Mikeala looked at him, though while the dark-haired girl grasped his hand gently, the red-head bit onto her tongue, pressed her lips tight, and squeezed her eyes shut for a moment.

“There was nothing you could do—you or Catherine,” Mikeala replied miserably.

“Still—I—I should have tried harder.”

“We both should have,” Catherine spoke up, turning to face them now. “But… But there’s nothing we can do now. We just have to believe that… that he’ll be okay.”

“You saw what they did! And that was just to take him down!” the boy returned, loudly at first, but then softened again.

“The Autobots wouldn’t just abandon him like that—they’ll come back. And Bumblebee’s tough, right? I mean, he’s an alien ass-kicking robot, right?” the dark-haired girl smiled, and her words did help lighten the other two’s faces a bit.