Two men escorted me outside to the black SUV. I hopped in the backseat and buckled up. Burned metal. Damn it. The two brothers drove off towards the harbor, as long as I was back before they left again. Hopefully, no one will notice my absence. I drum with my fingers on my leg.

The area is a bustling shipping container yard located on the outskirts. Expanse with rows of multicolored steel containers stacked high like giant, rectangular Lego blocks. The car stopped on the gravel and I slipped from the backseat. The cloak billowed behind me in the strong breeze coming from the ocean. "This way." We edge around cranes and forklifts towards the yard's edge, where a simple container stood.

Dev takes the key from me and unlocks the damned thing. It opened with a heavy thud. Inside lay a single piece of twisted metal. As large as the door of the SUV parked outside. I stepped closer. "Anything else you found in the area?" Dev shook his head. "Nothing. This is only what they left," he says. And I know exactly what this is. A challenge.

I lift the piece of metal, turning it around, and inspected it closely for hidden messages. "Advik said it is still safe."
"It's been secured for seven decades. No one will find it now," Ishan counters. I give a nod, tugging the gloves from my hands. "I don't think they know it exists either," Dev adds.  I had to take his word for that. "Let's pray we keep it that way." They agree quietly. "Maybe this is just once. Diego Garcia is only five hours away," Ishan continues, crouching down.

"Do they suspect?"
"They think it's about Energon, and we must keep it that way." I got back up. "Get rid of this for me." Dev rubbed the back of his head. "It's Cybertronian steel. Not easy to rid of."
"Hide it then, for now. I'm sure you know some places people won't look." The two brothers exchange glances. "We will figure something out."

"We picked up a signal last night. One might not have left." I grit my teeth. "I will deal with it." Ishan frowns. "When? The army is everywhere, looking for that Con. Might be a trap."
"If it is alone, I have an advantage point. I'll kill it, dump it in the Indian Ocean."

"It will raise questions." Should I leave Prime to deal with it or do it myself? I look down at the twisted piece of metal.f how little I could still hide. If the Decepticon gets captured, he might start talking; this is proof o, which will raise questions, too. "I will see the situation and decide based on that," I say. This is not how I expected my week to go.

I ran my hand over the metal. My eye fell on a symbol etched into it. "What does this mean?" They shrugged. " I'm not sure. We've never seen it before." It's definitely Cybertronian. I need someone who can read it or log into Teletraan 1 for answers. I get back up on my feet. "Dump it." They both nod and exit.

I look at the distant mountains. A trap it is indeed. To see what I would do. The brothers shut and lock the shipping container before walking back towards the SUV. I pull the cloak back over my head.

***

An hour later, I was mingled back between the soldiers. None of them seem to have missed me much. Teddy came rushing over. "Where have you been?" He hisses. My glare was enough to shut him up. "I had something to do. Did I miss anything?" Teddy looks me over skeptically, then turns to our team. Owen and the others. "No, it's been docile so far. No signals. We were split into disparate groups. We found nothing. We will stay here." Great. I don't need them to look closer.

"You weren't there." I look up. Sunstreaker blocked my path; Sideswipe quickly took place on his right. "You didn't look good enough then. Everyone wears the same." Sideswipe crouches. "We did look. You weren't there," he insists. I have no time for this. "And where are you going in an unknown city at this hour?" Hunting. That's what I'm about to do. "Getting some fresh air. Unless that's not allowed," I snap. "It is, but you're leaving. Humans are not allowed to leave the perimeter." I take a step back. "I'm still on the perimeter."

I'm losing valuable time. "We aren't stupid. You weren't there during the debriefing. Why were you at the harbor?" I hold their stares. "I wasn't." Sunstreaker crouches, fist slamming into the concrete. "Stop lying to us! You were at the harbor. Tell us why, or we will report it!" He hisses. They must've seen me sneak away then. "Talk to Lennox. He knows all about this side quest." They were quiet. "He asked me, so report me whatever you want. It was approved. I'm sorry to disappoint." I hold their stares, their inner gears working. "You're lying," Sunstreaker says at last, Sideswipe seems more convinced. "Lennox has done it before," the silver twin admits, frowning.

"Shall I get him?" I already turned. "No, no... we don't want to get in trouble," Sideswipe quickly says. "Then mind your own business." Sunstreaker optics narrow. "Why were you sent to the harbor then? Those men you met... who are they?"
         "Sunny—"

The golden twin raised his servo to silence his brother. "It's fine, Sideswipe. Those men are part N.E.S.T. They work abroad and keep an eye on high-interest locations. I was about to meet them for an update."
         "At the harbor?"
         "Weapons. They showed me weapons."
         "For what?"
         "Sunstreaker. Sun was sent on a mission. Lennox does that. Prime sent us for secret missions all the time." The golden twin stands up. "She's lying. I don't believe her." Ignoring that, Sideswipe looks back at me. "I'm sorry. We will leave you alone." They wouldn't. Sunstreaker wouldn't. I pass them and sit down on a rock overlooking the ocean. I can't leave. Sunstreaker would know, and if he finds out, everything I worked for will be in vain. I lay down, staring at the stars.

Their home was far away, but so was mine. Five centuries later, I still hadn't found a way back. I pull my knees higher to my chest and huddle beneath the tree. Everything was going down because of one mistake. In all these years... it was only one mistake. "Haven't you punished me enough?" I whisper at no one in particular. I didn't get an answer, of course, but I needed to get an answer on how to fix this without raising suspicion.

         We flew back to Diego Garcia the next afternoon. It was another failed scouting mission. I had known, of course. The twins kept a close eye on me. Every breath and step were marked and noticed. Maybe they would finally stop digging if they saw I was up to nothing but work.

         I stroll into the hangar with heavy feet, the twins standing against the wall, their conversation paused. I felt the heaviness of their gazes. Expecting. Curious. Sunstreaker was more suspicious. Sideswipe had probably long shrugged it off. "Sun!" Teddy jogs after me, clasping his hand on my back. "You get chased again?" He huffs but looks behind him anyway. "No, no..." I turned my head and caught Owen yards away. I pressed the bag in Teddy's hands. "Give me a second."

         "Sun! It's not worth it." It was certainly worth it. If only to settle the anger and frustration building up. "What is your fucking problem?" I snarl, getting right up in his face. "You tell me, Sun. Protecting your little freckle head?" I punched his jaw before he could register it. Owen hisses and stumbles back. Before I could give him another punch, I was snatched off the ground like prey. "Put me down!" Sideswipe did no such thing. "Do you want to get into trouble?" He snaps back, setting me down on the third balcony. My hands wrap tightly around the railing. "I am sure Ratchet isn't interested in fixing his face a fourth time."

         Teddy rushes up the stairs. "They're right." After one more glare at the twins, we vanished to our barracks.