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Shadows of Tomorrow	By : Breech_Loader Category: Transformers > Transformers: Animated > Het - M/F Views: 1756 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 10
- 11
- 12
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Shadows of Tomorrow

Co-Written by Harley Quinn hyenaholic and Froggy22651

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Harley: Well, what can I say today? The fact that this is the first chapter where Hotwire genuinely goes nuts and shows you just why she’s not an Autobot, is a start. No sex, just an ugly fight scene.

Froggy: Look at a map of America! Track our journey on the Interstate 40! Breech has been very careful about getting it right. And if you wonder why, it’s because we’re headed straight for Oklahoma, baby.

~~~

Chapter Eleven: Crying Is For Humans

Hotwire was exhausted. She had been following Barricade east for almost 18 hours now. They hadn't had the time to stop, they had been running from the Autobots. Her gears and tires ached and she was getting cramped from being in alt form for so long. They had passed the Texan border and arrived in a large city called Amarillo. Apparently some human had written a song about how great it would be to go there. Hotwire couldn't see anything special about it. She was too tired to do anything but radio Barricade.

"Can we please stop now?" she asked. She knew she was whining, but slag it all she was tired. He probably was too.

Barricade was nearing total exhaustion too, but the need to get further from the Autobots drove him on. As much as he wanted to face them and rescue Frenzy, now wasn't the right time. Still, they had gone a long way, and he didn't want to hurt Hotwire by pushing her too hard. Hurting the medic was never a good idea. Once more, they were in a large, populated area, so they would have plenty of places to hide, "Very well,” he responded to her, switching from trying to drive further away to finding a good place to stop.

Hotwire could feel a long, nagging feeling of guilt with regard to leaving Frenzy behind. Sure, she shouldn't care because firstly this wasn't really her team and secondly if it was Decepticons didn't seem to care about their own fragging team anyway and thirdly because Frenzy was annoying. But Barricade obviously cared, and knowing that made her feel guilty too.

Barricade tried to think about anything but Frenzy at that moment, occupying himself with the more immediate concerns of survival. Frenzy's rescue would come later, as well as his revenge on his Autobot enemies. The police cruiser mech found them a nice, abandoned parking structure to enter and hide within, and he led Hotwire inside. Once they were deep enough into the structure, away from human eyes, he transformed and sat down heavily.

Hotwire followed his cue, too tired to think properly, and sat beside him, "I'm sorry about Frenzy," she said finally, leaning on him, "I really am. But they won't hurt him. And we'll get him back."

"We will,” Barricade rumbled, placing an arm around her shoulders, "We will get him back. It wasn't your fault that this happened. It was mine."

"Well... if you say so," Hotwire answered, "I mean, if I'd just gone away earlier or killed Ratchet when I had the chance... or let you go after them as soon as he was captured... I feel like I should feel responsible."

"But Frenzy is my partner. He's my responsibility,” Barricade insisted, letting his head roll back, "Instead of watching each other's backs, I let him wander off too far while Autobots were in the area. That was stupid."

"Probably," Hotwire admitted, wrapping an arm around Barricade's waist, "Although he's probably safer than we are right now. Freedom is the right of all sentient beings, the widest part of my rear bumper."

Barricade chuckled darkly at the paraphrasing of Optimus Prime's mission statement. "More like 'freedom is the right of everyone who agrees with me',” the Decepticon retorted, "I suppose Prime is just blind to the irony of him enforcing his beliefs on others."

"If Megatron wasn't so completely nuts about it, a Cybertronian Empire might be a nice thing," Hotwire contemplated, "Us pushing everybody else around. Not saying it's a good thing exactly, but it sure is preferable to a war that's been going on for millennia. If those two freaks had worked together we could have the empire and not savagely crush any fledgling civilisations too much. But nooo, Prime's got to be all perfectly noble about it..."

"He's an idiot who split our people apart for the benefit of the weak,” Barricade replied. But discussing Cybertronian politics was not what he felt like doing again. He was tired of the subject, tired of running, tired of all of it. He allowed himself to relax and hold Hotwire closer to him, just enjoying her company.

Hotwire cuddled up to him with a sigh, taking his hand. Was there any point in running? Wouldn't they eventually be caught anyway? She admonished herself for the thought. She wasn't afraid. She wasn't afraid of anything. And she never, ever gave up. It just seemed a little pointless right now.

Barricade rested his face against hers, sighing softly. It seemed pointless to him, too, but he wasn't going to stoop to grovelling at the feet of Autobots for mercy, not for anything. The very idea of it disgusted him. He would see this through, no matter how it turned out, for his sake and for Hotwire's.

Hotwire knew she wanted to say something. She hesitated, if such a word could be applied to somebody who had been silent almost a full minute now, then stroked Barricade's cheek with her free hand, "Something will come up," she said, "You know it will."

Barricade closed his optics and rubbed his face into her hand, appreciating the gesture, "They'll make a mistake. They always do,” he replied, "We'll get out of this somehow."

Hotwire swallowed. Well, Barricade seemed to be in as good a mood as she'd get him at any point in the foreseeable future, which to tell the truth, wasn't very far, "Um, I think I love you," she said as calmly as possible.

Barricade went very still and silent as she said that. He didn't know how to take it. That was a combination of words that had never been directed at him in the entirety of his life. As rare as affection was among the Decepticons, those words were practically non-existent. They made Barricade's spark shudder and flare up, but he simply couldn't find the words he wanted to say in return.

"Well, I think I love you," Hotwire was speaking much faster now, "I mean, if you're in love for the first time, what with having no experience and all, how do you know you're in love? And if you've been in love before and you feel the same way again, how can that have possibly been true love if it's over? And if it feels different, how do you know you weren't in love before and this is just mere affection? I mean, I think I love you... I don't know much about that sort of thing..."

Barricade opened his mouth once, and then closed it. Again, he opened it, and in sharp contrast to her rapid speech, he said slowly and calmly, "Neither do I," he squirmed slightly on the ground, his mind going over the very questions that Hotwire had brought up, his feelings mixed and confused. Through the sea of emotion, though, his caring and fondness of Hotwire was quite clear, "...I think I must love you, too,” he spoke at last.

"I probably shouldn't have said any of that," Hotwire said, "But I just thought that now couldn't really be a worse time than any other to say so..." she groaned in mental exasperation. Why couldn't she ever learn to just shut up?

Barricade smiled slightly, "Humph. Relax. I think now is the perfect time to say that,” he admitted to her, "In case we don't get another chance."

You think that? That was what Hotwire thought. What she eventually said was, "So... I guess you know now that I can't leave. I guess... I guess I really am yours. I mean, I want to be. Sort of."

"Mine,” Barricade spoke softly, "You want to be mine..." In some ways, that was more satisfying to him than when they merged. She wanted to stay with him, couldn't stand the idea of leaving. He was wanted. No one ever wanted him. Sometimes they wanted him to do things. Mostly they wanted to get away from him.

"I mean..." Hotwire stopped. She couldn't figure it out anymore. She wanted to be her own person, free of responsibility and authority. She didn't want somebody to control her. Why else was she neutral? The very last thing she wanted was for somebody to be able to control her thoughts and desires, but without even trying, Barricade seemed to do just that.

He understood that she didn't want to be his slave or something, but she did want to be with him. He realised that he felt very much the same way, but how were they to do that or express it? "I know what you mean,” he said, replying to the incomplete statement.

Hotwire cuddled closer to him. It was good that Barricade understood her. The problem came up when she didn't understand herself. There was one thing she was pretty sure of though, "This is going to make things more complicated, isn't it?" she asked him.

"I think things were already complicated,” Barricade whispered, "But I like this kind of complicated." He drew Hotwire onto his lap and let her lay against his chassis, enjoying the closeness.

Hotwire sighed, stroking Barricade's cheek gently and curling up a little. The feeling of safety was back, "I don't want to lose you," she said, "Or have to leave you behind."

"You won't lose me,” Barricade spoke confidently, even as he knew it was a lie. That was something he couldn't promise, "So you won't have to leave me behind,” he added, stroking the top of her head, but he knew that was a lie, too. If he failed on the first promise, he wanted her to leave him behind. The alternative was not something he wanted to consider.

Cybertronians couldn't cry. It was biologically impossible and totally unnecessary. But Hotwire, socially inept as she was, could still recognise meaningless comfort banter when it was presented to her. She rested her forehead against Barricade's chassis to hide her face as her shoulders shook with an overload of emotion circuits.

Barricade looked down at her, feeling the tremble run through her, and figured out the reason for the unstable reaction. Emotion was overwhelming her. Sympathising, feeling pangs of guilt, he embraced her tightly, "I'll do whatever I can to make this turn out alright,” he whispered in her audio dial.

Hotwire continued to tremble in his arms, embarrassed with herself for showing emotional weakness. She'd hoped she was more than just another soppy femme-bot. She'd trekked over battlefields and waded through debris. And now she was just sitting here like a sparkling or a human, unable to control herself because she thought she might lose Barricade, "You talk... as if we actually have a choice," she said softly.

"There's always a choice. There's always a way out,” Barricade said softly, stroking the smaller robot softly. He was speaking from experience. He had been a successful scout for as long as he had because he always found that way out. He was a survivor.

Hotwire's motors gave a soft whine of comfort as Barricade stroked her, "I don't know it will be a way I want to choose," she murmured, "I don't want to..." she swallowed, "I couldn't bear it..."

"What way is that?" Barricade asked curiously, listening to her quiet sounds of comfort, pleased by them, "Surrender?"

"I won't give up," Hotwire said stubbornly, "But I refuse to lose you. I won't leave you behind." There was a sudden determination to her tone.

Barricade had never been against leaving someone behind if it meant his continued survival. It was never something he was proud of, but he was willing to do it. War was cruel, and to survive in it, one had to be cruel, too. "I won't lose you either,” he found himself lying.

Hotwire seemed less distressed now. Still sitting on Barricade's lap, she cuddled up to him again, still hiding her face. There was still terrible turmoil in her mind, but it involved questions she didn't even want to think about right now. She'd never really cared if somebody was permanently deactivated before. There were always more patients to find. But she wasn't so sure that she could find another Barricade.

Barricade was silent for a long moment, just calmly stroking Hotwire's head and neck, his red optics staring up at the ceiling. Finally, he broke the silence. "Have you ever been in a... relationship like this before?" he asked.

Hotwire gave it some consideration. She had hung around with people, because sometimes being in a group was the only way to survive. She didn't really count them as her team though. And she was pretty sure that wasn't what Barricade meant. And there had been a few patients who had really wanted her to come back with them. And she'd had friends, some of whom had died. In fact the last time she'd had a relationship was when the Decepticons were making her keep alive one of their Autobot prisoners so he could be tortured some more, "Not like this, no," she said finally.

"Me either,” Barricade admitted, "Sure, a few other Decepticons made advances, but I never felt like accepting. Had to get rough with some..." The larger robot's voice turned into a soft growl, "No one was worth the trouble. No one was worth the... entanglements," his gaze turned thoughtful, "I was just wondering. I've heard of people who made these kinds of things... permanent,” Still stroking her, he said quietly, "I wish we had met sooner."

Hotwire sighed again, "I don't think it would have made any difference by now," she said, "But yes, I wish we'd met sooner too," She cuddled up to Barricade, "How did you end up working so closely with Megatron and Starscream?" she asked, in a deliberate attempt to change the direction of her thoughts.

Barricade paused briefly, unprepared for the shift in conversation. Still, he felt close enough to her to open up about that particular subject, "There's not much to it,” he admitted, "I've been a Decepticon nearly as long as they have existed. They simply fit me, so I joined and furthered their cause. I was still quite young when Megatron came to my outpost. He wanted all the youngest recruits to line up in front of him. And he walked past them all and he chose me. I don’t know why. I’d like to think it was because of my abilities, and that I did not disappoint him."

Hotwire smiled a little, "I'll bet you didn't," she said, but her thoughts kept trailing back to where this conversation had sprung from, "But I don't want to lose you. Not to anybody."

"You won't lose me,” he assured her again, and somehow he was determined to keep that promise. He knew he'd do whatever it takes. It again brought him to a point he had thought about earlier, "We could make what we have more permanent. Did you know that?"

"Yes..." Hotwire said after a few seconds. She knew exactly what he meant. Spark bonding. Spark merging was brief and pleasurable, but it left nothing but memories, and took nothing but experience. Spark bonding though... if you bonded, you bonded forever. Death didn't cut it off. There was no way to break a bond without suffering. Mechs had killed themselves over bad breaks. But on the other hand... you shared everything. Forever. A few days ago, Hotwire would have laughed mockingly at the idea. She was shocked to find how much it was appealing to her right now.

"I've been thinking about it a lot during the drive,” he told her, sitting back against the concrete pillar, "I've always thought that it was a ridiculous thing to do, to tie yourself to someone else. But with you, it doesn't sound like such a bad idea."

Hotwire smiled slightly. Yes, it did sound ridiculous. Why risk all your emotions and indeed your very sanity on somebody when you could have almost as much pleasure from merging? But then, that wasn't the point of bonding. The point of merging was pleasure. The point of bonding, such as she understood, was that you'd never be alone again. There would be somebody to fill in all the gaps in your programming, somebody to make you whole, somebody to really empathise with, "I don't think there have been as many bonds - if any - since the war began," she said.

Barricade nodded again, "It's a risky time for bonding,” he said, "War, that is. That connection could be severed just as soon as it is formed."

Hotwire looked thoughtful. The idea of bonding with Barricade was tempting. If only they had known each other for longer, if only they weren't being hunted by meatbags and Auto-bozos alike, if only there wasn't a war, if only she was normal. All of who she was, from the largest .exe to the tiniest .dll file, Barricade would have access to it all.

"It's a risk,” the Decepticon repeated, "But like I said before, we might not get another chance," he realised that he was only increasing the risk by bringing up the subject, but he didn't really care. They were both together in this, and he wanted to be together in everything else, "Would you take that risk?" he asked.

Of course, Hotwire contemplated, she would have access to Barricade too. But if he knew... if he knew everything... would he really want to bond with her? Bonding was usually carried out when you knew everything about your lover, when there were no more surprises, "I... I don't think it would be good for you," she corrected herself, "For us."

"Oh,” Barricade uttered, feeling the sinking feeling of disappointment set in. He knew she had to be thinking about the risk, considering their current situation, and he had to admit that it was smart, but... "It wouldn't be bad, either,” he replied.

"No," Hotwire said, resisting the urge to shake Barricade and ask him if he really thought a bond with her was going to be enjoyable, "I know it sounds stupid, me trying to tell you that you're too good for me, but I could really mess you up," she said, standing up, "Ratchet's right. I'm not right in the head. I'm a danger to myself and those around me. I don't... I can't... I care about you, but that's not who I am!" she cried out suddenly, "I'm not a caring person! I don't care! And until I met you I didn't care that I didn't care, either!"

Barricade looked up at her as if she was crazy, which seemed to be her intention, "I'm not exactly the kind and gentle type either,” he rumbled, “But I care about you.”

"Yes but..." Hotwire groaned, physically and mentally, "I've done things. Bad things. There's something wrong with me. You’ve been seeing a lot of inconsistencies in me lately, and I expect you think I’m quite nice. Which is what you’re basing your desire to bond with me on. It’s not about the things I’ve done, although if you were an Autobot it might be. It’s about you mistaking me for something I’m not.”

“Like what?” Barricade asked.

“Weak, possibly,” there was a flash of rage in Hotwire’s optics, “Or nice, at least compared to other Decepticons you know. I’m not warm, or loving either.”

Barricade continued looking down at her, considering her words. It sounded like she was trying to drive them apart yet again... it seemed to be a habit of hers, "I wouldn't even bother with you if I thought you were weak,” the Decepticon replied with a wave of his hand, "As for warm and loving, you could have fooled me."

Hotwire continued, as if to a conversation in her own head, "I'm free. And to a Decepticon, that's worse than being weak," her optics narrowed, "Isn't it? Somebody you can't control. Or maybe that's what you want, maybe you're the type who wants what they can't have."

"Can't have?" Barricade rumbled, taking a single angry step closer to the smaller, neutral Cybertronian, "If I recall correctly, you didn't have any objections to what we've been doing together."

"It's not like that," Hotwire didn't seem intimidated, and glared, "I don't know what it is like. Why do you think I can just belong to you?" Barricade had an unusual flash of inspiration - Hotwire didn't have the faintest idea of why anybody would want to be attracted to her as she was, so she assumed that he had interpreted her wrong.

"You seem to think I'm ignorant of what you are,” Barricade growled softly, "I know you are strong. I know you are independent of any side or cause but your own. I know how ruthless you could be. I know all of that, and that is why I want you for this and not some Decepticon."

Hotwire had spent a long time alone, and a lot of time around people who were afraid of her or just didn't trust her. It might have had something to do with the fact that she was dangerous and generally irresponsible. It was a vicious circle. People believed Hotwire was savage, cold and thoughtless. Hotwire didn't care what they thought. She glared at Barricade, "You can't possibly understand," she said stubbornly, "Nobody does."

"Nobody that you've met,” Barricade snapped back, returning her harsh glare, "That doesn't mean that nobody can." He had no illusions. He knew that she was terribly dangerous, but that was one thing he liked about her.

Hotwire continued to glare, but her tone became the 'nagging doctor' style, "I heard that most Decepticons go for mates who are physically equal in strength but less aggressive in personality," she said, and her tone became suspicious again, "Or maybe it's because you don't have much choice right now."

She didn't trust him. She didn't trust herself. She had no reason to trust him or anybody here, she had been called to this planet to become a fugitive and now she was here there was no way home and there was no home to go to. Hotwire didn't even try to quell the anger inside. He wanted who she was? He wanted to have her? Nobody was allowed to have her! Nobody wanted her, that was why nobody was allowed to own her!

Show him who you are, whispered the ever-present rage that boiled at the core of Hotwire's mind, Show him who you really are, and then he won't want you.

Barricade frowned down at the smaller robot, finding it hard to pin down exactly what her problem was. They were both relatively happy a moment ago, and then this happens? Not that he was surprised that she had this side to her, but the rate at which her mood changed made him wonder if there was some corruption in her behavioural circuitry. Still, asking her to do a self-diagnostic would have likely ended badly. Instead, very slowly and distinctly, he asked bluntly, "What part of this do you not understand?"

He didn't even see Hotwire's fist move. He just felt the solid punch land, and knock him onto his back. Her left hand was already the light energy cannon that was supposed to be a final line of defence. It was currently aimed at Barricade's head, and charging, "Don't ever tell me I'm stupid!" she screamed, "Nobody! Nobody is allowed to tell me what to do, what to think, what to say!"

Barricade stared up in shock at Hotwire, wondering if she had totally lost her mind. She certainly could hit hard. He had shown her no disrespect, and in return, she had made the potentially fatal mistake of threatening him. He had been kind and gentle to her up to that point, but now she was seriously tempting him to show his nasty side, "Well I'm telling you, get that slagging weapon out of my face before I rip it off and feed it to you!" the Decepticon bellowed at her, his voice making the abandoned lot shiver.

Sanity - Barricade sure hoped it was sanity - flickered in Hotwire's eyes for a moment, and the weapon blasted away a pillar instead of his head. Then, as he was standing up, she piled into him, bringing him back to the floor again with sheer momentum, and started to slam his head into the cement, each time punctuating the action with a word, "Don't! Ever! Tell! Me! Who! I! Am!"

Barricade cried out in surprise and pain, dazed by the repeated blows. She did it. She had lost her mind; he was certain of it. He was also sure that if he let this continue, she was going to kill him. However, Barricade was a survivor. His fist slammed into Hotwire's side, knocking the smaller robot flying off of him. He wasted no time in regaining his footing, his fists grinding into the concrete as he stood up, reaching up to rub the dented spot on his head, "Don't start something you can't finish!" he growled.

Hotwire didn't even hesitate. Her mind had clicked from the casual sanity that she normally exhibited, straight into killing mode, and she'd have taken on a Dinobot. The idea that she might not win wasn't present, nor was the thought that she loved Barricade. She stepped forward, her blue optics displaying nothing more than madness, and lashed out with a handful of power tools at Barricade's chassis.

Barricade didn't try to dodge. He took the hit, sparks leaping from his chassis, so that Hotwire was close to him again. His hand leapt out to snatch up her arm, dragging her even closer. The angry Deception lifted her up into the air, her feet dangling bellow her, "What is wrong with you?!" he demanded.

The ability to speak eluded Hotwire right now. Hate, resentment, distrust, and some basic issues with sanity were overloading everything. She screamed something at him. Then she kicked him smartly under the kneecap. Such a logical move meant the attack was almost over. Unfortunately it also meant that Barricade grimaced and dropped Hotwire, who was up again faster than a sociopath beats their own boss to death with his own swivel chair, and attacking.

Barricade snarled through the pain of his aching leg and raised his arms to defend himself against the crazed attack. He was angry. Very angry. A part of him, however, still couldn't bring him to smash Hotwire's head through the floor. He wanted to know what this was about. After enduring several more blows, he saw an opportunity present itself and rushed in, grabbing both of Hotwire's arms and forcing her down on her back. The Decepticon climbed on top of her, using his weight and strength to pin the neutral to the ground.

Hotwire struggled wildly for a few seconds under him, thrashing and screaming, but by pure chance her optics locked with his. The struggle ceased. She was still shaking with rage, but now it was different. This was anger at losing, not the rage of hatred that had consumed her before. She glared again at him, and managed words, "Get... off... me..." she hissed.

"Not until I'm damn sure you're going to stop trying to kill me,” Barricade growled back, putting more of his weight on top of her, "I don't care what you've done to your patients. I don't care what you've done to other Decepticons. I don't care if you strip your plates off, smear energon on yourself, and run around while shouting obscenities. But I DO care if you try to harm me!"

Hotwire recalled what their last conversation had been about, "I thought you loved me for who I am," she smirked.

"Oh, don't even start,” Barricade growled at her, his grip on her arms tightening, "I said that when I didn't believe you'd flip out and smash my head into the floor!"

"Well now you know," Hotwire returned, "I'm insane, a danger to myself and those around me. If you don't mind, I didn't want you to find that out through bonding. You should be grateful," she continued, "One time I blinked, and there were two Seekers in pieces. I don't know what's wrong with me, but I don't want to saddle you with it too."

"Maybe it would do you good to share it with someone. Maybe you should stop trying to tell me what I do and do not want,” Barricade replied harshly. The anger had cooled slightly, but it was still there.

This statement made Hotwire falter for once, "I wouldn't have thought you'd want to be like me," she said finally, "Based purely on first-hand knowledge of me not wanting to be like me, of course." Her gaze, though still angry, said something else. It said; I want you so very much. And I want you so much that I would gladly not have you, if only to kept you safe from me.

Barricade slowly shook his head, "Don't you get it?" he asked her, "I want you. What do I have to do to convince you? I'm willing to take the risk."

Hotwire's optics darted. The fact that a bond with her could destroy them both mentally wasn't a good enough argument for him, and she had none better, "You still want me?" she asked him.

Barricade let loose an exasperated sigh. He had thought he was quite clear on this part earlier... "Yes,” he answered, smiling slightly, "Yes, I still want you, Hotwire."

Hotwire hung her head, "I..." she sighed, "I'll think about it."

Finally, Barricade let go of her and rolled off onto the floor beside her. The larger robot reached up to rub his head again. Damn, did it hurt.

Hotwire blinked, sitting up again, "And I hurt you," she sounded genuinely remorseful about that, "I don't want to hurt you. Here, let me look at it."

Barricade gave her an irritated glance, unsure if he should let her anywhere near his head again. Still, he reluctantly tilted the injured area towards the medic for her to examine.

Hotwire didn't attack or try to kill him. She quietly examined his head. Fortunately there was no cracking in the metal. Another blow or two and she could have inflicted serious processor damage. Carefully she investigated under the dents. Nothing that time wouldn't heal. Any intervention on her part would probably damage something. She closed it all up, "I'm sorry," she said, "I'm sorry I'm like this. I don't think this was the kind of risk you had in mind, I didn't mean to attack you just to prove my point..."

He winced as she touched and closed up the wound on his head the best she could. Still, he was feeling fairly certain she wasn't about to hit him again. Hopefully, "Then why did you attack me?" he asked, hoping she had some sort of decent explanation.

"I got angry," Hotwire said, "And then everything clouded over and I just hated you." She sighed, "I don't think I can explain better than that."

Barricade slowly nodded, sitting up fully against the burnt concrete pillar. So, Hotwire had the occasional rage issue to deal with. That didn't bother him, as long as she didn't get one of them killed, "Well, it wasn't fun being on the receiving end. I'll remember that the next time it happens,” he said in a low rumble.

"It won't happen again," Hotwire said on reflex, knowing it could well. She leant back against a pillar, looking around morosely. One of the supporting pillars had been destroyed, and it was only chance that it wasn't Barricade's head scattered all over the floor instead of lumps of cement, although sometimes she suspected his head was made of the same thing. Still, she wasn't afraid of anything. Not even herself.

She transformed into her motorcycle form, "I'm tired," she declared, almost as if the attack had never happened, "If we rest up we'll be in good form to do some more fleeing in the morning. We should be in Oklahoma by tomorrow, and then it's just an issue of finding a bike and we won't have to worry about those Auto-jerks again."

Barricade transformed into police cruiser mode, resting beside Hotwire, "That sounds like a plan to me,” he said quietly. The idea of not running into more Autobots appealed to him, but he also knew better than to expect it. They weren't out of the scaffolding yet.

~~~

Harley: Yep, Hotwire is completely crazy. Maybe one of these days I’ll do a fanfic dictating how she learned to be so good at being bad.
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Shadows of Tomorrow