𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 ━ transformers

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞

Later, when the road seems like it'll never end, Ironhide turns to me.

"What was Cliffjumper's plan? What would he have done when you were in transit to this new place?"

I glance over at him, his eyes already on me. I search for Cliffjumper in my head, wondering the same thing. He had never really talked about his plan to get me away from the armed men who were escorting me. Just said he would tell me "when the time was right."

"Well. . ."

"Eleanor," Ironhide warns. "Did he have a plan?"

Did you? I ask.

. . . we would have been fine.

"He says we would have been fine," I repeat, wincing because it's not a yes. "Which, I'm sure we would have, had you not come. Not that I'm not grateful--" I shake my hands in front of me. "Because I really am. But Cliffjumper wants you to know that we would have been fine, you know, if you weren't there."

"Uh huh," Ironhide grunts, and he doesn't sound convinced in the slightest. "I'm sure this 'plan' would have included Eleanor getting hurt, wouldn't it?"

I wait for an answer. Sheepishly, like he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar, Cliffjumper says, Maybe.

I gasp. Ironhide glances at me sharply, then chuckles at the affronted look on my face.

"So I was correct," he assumes. "It is only right. Cliffjumper is talk later, fight now, sort of 'bot."

"And you're not?" I tease.

"I do make plans, Eleanor. Tactical decisions made in the heat of battle."

"Everyone says you're trigger happy."

"Then they do not understand battle strategies."

Laughter escapes me, and I cover my mouth, the sound too loud in the cabin. Ironhide's eyes dance with mirth, with a playfulness I didn't think we could afford right now. I can't tell him how good it feels, even though there's a spark in the air--a tension that tells me we're going to have to talk about what to do next. Where to go.

"Do you understand battle strategies?"

"I am Prime's number two, so I'd say yes," he replies, sounding affronted.

"I thought that was--"

And then I stop myself because it's something else I'm not supposed to know. I wasn't supposed to know that Jazz was Prime's second. Nor was the information that he was killed supposed to pop up as I took in Ironhide's words.

I look away. Ironhide is oddly silent.

After a moment, he says, "Yes, it was Jazz. I did tell you about him, did I not?"

I nod. The memory brings a bittersweet smile to my face. "I remember. He was killed by Megatron, wasn't he?"

Ironhide doesn't reply. I see him nod stiffly from the corner of my eye.

"I'm sorry," I say even though there's nothing to say that will bring him back. That will ease the ache in him every time he thinks about the friend he lost. "I know it's not much, but--"

"It is quite alright," he replies, even though I know it's not. Not really. "I am more surprised that you know who killed him."

A scoff almost falls past my lips. I refrain, because it's not his fault. Instead, I tell him, "Starscream wanted me to know about his great leader. The mighty Megatron. The one that would return."