(This is my first try at publishing on the site. I'll see how this chapter is received in order to decide whether it is worth it to continue. Anyways, Transformers is owned by Hasbro. I own nothing except my own characters and my current plotline (before the AOE movie plot). Thanks! Reviews are appreciated and I have posted a poll for you to vote yes or no for continuing the story. Please take it after reading!)

Location: University of Texas, in Austin, Texas…

Date: December 10th, 2014….

Time: 17:28...

It was the average mild winter day of December in Austin, Texas. The university was abuzz with students and staff, both equally eager as the other to get home for the near month they'd have off.

Finals week was rapidly approaching and, unfortunately, that meant many dedicated hours spent getting personal with your class material while also trying to budget your time for a decent night's sleep.

Sophomore, Jennifer Brown, was no exception from these overrated balancing acts.

The young woman sat hunched over her books, dark eyes intently studying her materials on the desk in front of her.

Long brown hair waved lazily down her tan shoulders and also hid the earbuds trailing to the music device situated comfortably between her.

She drummed her fingers to the beat of the music on the desk and arched her thin eyebrows as she came across a difficult question.

1) What are the four parts of the environment? Explain each one in brief detail.

Jennifer stared at the question for several moments before she threw her head back in a huff of annoyance.

"THE four parts?! Only four?! What four?! There's so many freaking different parts to the environment," she exclaimed in frustration before she dug through her past class notes for several more minutes, searching for the answer her instructor would expect. A few minutes passed by before she was able to find the answer she was looking for.

Oh...he meant the "spheres"! He should'a just said that, Jen thought to herself as she wrote them down.

"Biosphere, Lithosphere, Hydrosphere, and Atmosphere," she murmured aloud she added a short summary for each one.

A soft sigh escaped her thin lips as she leaned back in her chair and listened to the song currently blasting into her ears. "Two more years of this and then graduate school? Why did I ever try to go for Environmental Science?"

She couldn't help but grin as the cheesy phrase 'follow your heart', immediately came to mind. "Guess I can blame high school that one, then," she snorted before effortlessly jerking her earbuds out with a resounding 'pop'.

After that, Jen was quick to pack up her books, and then to leave the secluded section of the library, not wanting to disrupt any of her still studying peers, and make her way back to her dorm.

"Nia? Hey, I'm back," Jennifer announced as she nudged open the door to her room with her foot. A grin crept its way onto her face at seeing her roommate sprawled out on the bottom bunk with her laptop and papers littered about.

Nia was an average sized young African American woman. Her hair was long and wild, only able to be manage when it was pinned up in a bun. Glasses framed her dark brown eyes, while hooped earrings and moderately heavy makeup accented her well-defined features.

Like Jennifer, Nia was also a sophomore.

She was currently majoring in Journalism, and both had been good friends since the beginning of their freshman year.

Jennifer casually dropped her backpack onto the floor, the loud thud waking Nia up with a start.

"I'M AWAKE!" Nia's gaze immediately focused on a laughing Jennifer.

With an embarrassed gasp, she tried to distract herself and blew a stray curl from her face before attempting to talk it off. "O-Oh hey there, Jen! How's my fav roomie doin'?"

Jen offered her a small grin along with a shrug. "Same ol', same ol'. Been studyin' for finals all 'bout you?"

Nia looked from her and then at her laptop's dimmed screen. Fingers gingerly rubbed at the mouse pad and her expression fell as she saw the blank document. "I thought I had a few pages already typed up!" she complained.

Jen stifled her giggles behind a hand. "Sounds to me like you most likely dreamt that," the young woman lightly teased, "But when's it due?"

Nia sighed and ran a hand down her tired face. "Tomorrow night…"

Jen's expression turned serious with a frown of worry for her friend. "Ya better hurry then. I'll wake ya up if ya fall asleep again," she promised as she climbed up onto her own bunk.

"Thanks, Jen. You're the best, hun," Nia told her before the sound of typing keys replaced her voice.

While her friend worked on her paper, Jen busied herself on her own laptop. Several minutes of idle browsing brought her to an advertisement that had been a common sight since 2011, following the Battle of Chicago.

Remember Chicago, report Alien Activity.

Jen's mind paused to read that for what felt like the millionth time before she automatically decided to not give it another thought as she continued to spend her time lazily surfing the web. Besides, what could the government's hunt for these alien robots mean to an ordinary college sophomore like her. The answer to that question would be one she'd never expected, and it would be coming soon.

Location: Boerne, Texas...

Date: December 10th, 2014….

Time: 17:28...

Drift and Hound

It was a seemingly calm evening in the small town of Boerne, Texas. The sky was rapidly turning dark, and the night would soon to replace the seasonally short-lived day. Along a somewhat busy street, a large transport vehicle was driving cautiously in order to ensure the load it was carrying, mysteriously concealed under a large tarp, did not spill over. Two Autobots, a black and blue Bugatti Veyron, along with an army green Tactical Defense vehicle, were following the truck from a distance.

::Hound, to ensure we maintain cover please do not approach the target. If we are detected within close proximity to it, our presence may alert the humans.::

~Drift warned his companion through his com-link. His deep voice was laced with a heavy Japanese accent.

::Yeah, yeah! Ye need to shut yer mug, samurai. I'm no newbie to keepin' a low profile.::

~Hound snorted back in a booming and rustic sounding voice as he drove a bit closer to their target, trying to see what was in the cargo. ::Whatcha think's in there?::

Drift accelerated forward to stay close to Hound.

::I am not certain. My scans have shown a distinct trace of Cybertronian elements. It could simply be residue from a previous trip on the vehicle's part, although it's more likely to have been one of our own kind since the humans have taking to hunting us...- HOUND!:: He shouted as he witnessed Hound ram into the rear of the truck.

::HOUND! Even if there is another Cybertronian in their cargo, I have not detected any life signal! If anyone is under there, they'd already have passed! Stop this!::

Hound angrily revved his engine in response and just continued to run into the back of the vehicle.

::NO! They're gonna pay for haulin' one of us in their backs like we're some sorta-:: He drew back at the sound of incoming sirens, not noticing several silver rocks drop from beneath the tarp and tumble onto the road, down a hill, and into the city creek. . ::Scrap.::

::Hound, your actions have drawn their attention to us! We must hurry if we are to escape!:: Drift called out to Hound, in too much of a rush to voice his irritation at his friend's stunt. He held back a pained groan as the feel of gun pellets that were shot by the pursuing vehicles skimmed against his sides. In response, Drift worked on moving quickly out of their range. ::Stay in vehicle mode! Remember Optimus' orders!::

::Read ye loud and clear!:: shouted Hound as the pair sped faster down the road, weaving in and out between the traffic as the army vehicles chased after them.

Within one of the trucks, a man in black narrowed his eyes on the two Autobots ahead. "They're getting desperate. Who would've imagined they'd risk coming out of hiding just to get a lead on us..."

A tan hand flicked his sunglasses down as he grabbed a hold of the car's walky-talky. "Autobots! Stand down now," he threatened over the com. In response the pair only drove faster, trying to get away.

"Fine, play it that way! Give them everything you've got boys!", he ordered to his soldiers.

::Drift, ye got a plan?! Not sure how much longer I can hold myself back with these bugs shootin- AHH-:: Hound's comlink cut out with static.

::HOUND!::

Drift screeched to a halt and drove to where his ally had crashed. Hound let out a low groan as a blue substance leaked from a large gash in his side. Somehow he had managed to stay in his vehicle mode despite the damage he has just received.

::I'm a-a'right...t-they got them missiles apparently.:: His engine managed to sputter to life again as their enemies gained on them.

::We must hurry. Can you drive?::

::Ye kidding, right? Not gunna let this bring me down!:: Hound laughed weakly as the pair once again sped forward. ::I think I see a side road up ahead! It's our best shot, I'd say.:: he alerted his companion.

Drift hummed his approval as they split from the main road onto a gravel one, and drove into a wooded area. Before the soldiers could continue to follow, Drift was suddenly transforming and pulling out his katana. Decked in black and blue samurai armor, gold faceplates, and a pair of bright blue optics, he was quite the sight.

Without taking more than a few moments, he had sliced several nearby bald Cyprus trees down in order to block the path. He had just finished transforming back into his vehicle mode when the army vehicles ran into their blockcade. Drift gave them one last glance before speeding off with Hound.

Thirty minutes passed in silence between the pair until the gruff soldier spoke up.

::I can't believe ye disobeyed Prime's orders and transformed like that!:: he laughed.

Drift snorted in response.

::Sometimes disobeying an order is the right thing to do.::

As the side road came to an end, they saw what they both hoped to be a safe haven. In the distance was a small ranch house with a relatively large barn. They noticed three horses currently grazing in the open pastures. However, to their dismay, this also meant that there were caretakers for them...HUMAN caretakers.

::No way! NO WAY! I ain't goin' anywhere near there after we just got away from the last ones!:: Hound argued.

Drift sighed in frustration. This could take awhile.