Chapter 1

Jasper, Nevada, the place one Evelyn Peters had come to call home, not that she particularly wanted to but unfortunately she didn't have very much choice.

The girl jumped from town to town, living in the background of other people's lives. Despite how some people would find that miserable, she had come to accept it. She had simply learned to adapt as best she could because she wasn't normal, even if she looked somewhat average; brown hair, emerald green eyes, ratty green hoodie with ripped off sleeves and blue pants. Nothing really out of the ordinary unless one counted the old worn out brown loafers that looked like they had been bought back in the 80s, the grey floppy winter hat with ear flaps and long tassels, and of course the metal manacles on each forearm. Sometimes they caught a few stares but other than that, she seemed to blend in.

She stood at the mouth of an alley near a local coffee shop and bakery. It was around morning and the smell of the freshly made doughnuts and coffee seemed to draw her almost hypnotically towards the doors, but she held back and waited as an African-American man exited with a large box in his arms.

He seemed slightly overweight with a white shirt and blue open suit jacket and matching pants. He seemed to be humming some rock song as he headed towards a large semi truck. Evee took a deep breath and clenched her teeth, not looking forward to what she was about to do.

She ran at the man and snatched the box of doughnuts right out of his hands.

"Hey!" he cried in surprise.

"My apologies sir!" she called back as she fled back to the ally with him hot on her tail.

"You give those back to me now girl! Taking an agent's doughnuts is a crime!" he shouted. 'Agent?' Evee thought as she hit a dead end in the alley. She skidded to a stop and spun around to see the very cheesed off agent standing several feet back, panting a bit after the sprint.

"Alright kid, give those back to me, you've got no where else to run." The man growled. Evee sighed and shook her head a bit. He did sort of walk into this one, and she wasn't one to pass up the opportunity to prove someone wrong.

"Goodbye sir." She said. She then pointed her right wrist at a fire escape above her head, firing a long metal cable with a grappling claw at the end, it latched on as she tucked the box of doughnuts under her left arm and repelled up so fast it made the agent fall right back on his butt in surprise.

"Well I'll be a…" he trailed off as she climbed to the roof of the building and looked down at him with a doughnut stuffed in her mouth, the agent stood up, "alright, you can have those, but I'll remember you!" and with that, he left, muttering under his breath. Evee waved at the retreating man.

"Thank you!" she called with her mouth still full before sitting down with her stolen meal and feasted.

She hated stealing from people like that. She hated stealing at all.

Unfortunately stealing was an inevitable part of her life on the run.

Evee emerged from the alley one morning and walked around the street. A few people gave the occasional sideways glance but she simply went on her way, perhaps giving a wave and a friendly nod as she did.

The girl twirled one hat tassel with a finger as she stopped by an empty parking lot where a large red and blue semi truck was parked. It was the same big rig that belonged to the man she liberated the doughnuts from several days before. If she was in her right mind she would have turned on the spot and left, but she couldn't contain her curiosity with the enormous vehicle.

"By golly, you're a big one." She said, "Powerful engine I bet. You could probably bowl over any crazy car that came at you."

Nobody was in the truck, but it still felt like someone was watching her from within it. The pre-teen walked in front of it and noticed a strange insignia on the top of the grill; some sort of mask like thing, it looked very…familiar in a way. She'd seen others similar, but they were much more threatening.

"You are one of them, a living vehicle." She murmured, resting a palm on the side of the truck's nose. She almost recoiled when she felt a warm hum beneath the metal exterior, but her hand relaxed again as she stood almost motionless for what seemed like hours.

"HEY YOU!" a voice shouted behind her, she spun around to see the agent from the other day running at her, "So you decided to show your sorry face again?"

"I can explain sir!" Evee tried to reason, but the man was clearly not in the mood to listen as he pulled out a pair of handcuffs from his pocket and reached to grab her arm. She cursed and sprinted away from the vehicle, slipping away so he was only able to grab air. He growled and kicked at the loose gravel under his shoes before shooting the truck a glare.

"You could've at least stopped her while she was here Prime!" he shouted at it. Normally a grown man shouting at a vehicle would be unbelievably strange, but this was no ordinary semi. Just as Evee had assumed.

"Agent Fowler…you know as well as I that a vehicle seizing a civilian in public would have been too extreme of a risk to take." a deep voice came from inside the truck in a calm, patient tone

"Well whatever…I've lost sight of her anyway so I can't book her now…" Fowler said.

"Remind me again why you wanted to apprehend her?" the truck asked politely. That only seemed to irritate the man further.

"Well she…ah never mind! Let's just get back to base smart guy…" Agent Fowler growled, heading to the driver side door, but it refused to open much to his annoyance.

"Wait a moment…I am detecting foreign life signals…there may be Decepticons within the vicinity." The truck said, "Wait here while I investigate."

"Make it snappy, Prime, I need to get back to my chopper asap!" Fowler grouched. And with that, the truck's engine roared to life and Prime pulled out of the parking lot and slowly drove through the town in the direction Evee had gone. Something had made him unsettled after she talked to him, especially when she mentioned "living vehicles"

Prime, or Optimus Prime as he was usually called, was the leader of a group of robotic organisms called Autobots; a small team of war refugees on earth to protect the human race from the evils of other robots called Decepticons, led by Megatron.

Optimus had taken their liaison, Agent Fowler, to town so the agent could get his morning coffee as he did every morning since 'con activity was almost non-existent lately, it had given him an excuse to run patrols within the populated town. The leader continued to roll along the streets of town in his vehicular mode as the civilian girl ran along the sidewalk two block's down, a car parked in front of her suddenly opened it's door, causing her to run right smack into it and fall back onto the ground.

"Ow! What's your problem, guy…" she stopped as soon as she noticed that there was no driver in the car.

A feeling of dread washed over her, as well as annoyance, "oh no, not again…" she got to her feet and took off in the opposite direction; the car revved up and drove after her.

Optimus barely had any time to react when Evee ran past him back the way she came with an almost annoyed look on her face, he saw the car chasing her and immediately knew what was occurring.

He shifted gears and u-turned to follow it.

Evee ran hard through the streets until she came to the sloped wall of a drainage canal under the freeway. There wasn't any water running in it so she slid down the dry concrete slope to the ground below and made a break for the open storm drain pipe, but the pursuer drove down the side of the hill and landed behind her, somehow not damaging itself in the process.

Evee turned towards it and shifted into a lower stance, two wickedly sharp metal claws started to retract from her scratched manacles just at the tops of each wrist. She was almost acting as if she was ready to battle the vehicle.

The car suddenly shuddered and started coming apart, the metal plates and sections rearranging and clicking together again, forming a giant monstrosity with guns on its forearms, his cold blood red optics fixed on her small form.

"Hello fleshling, we meet again, but this time you wont get away from me." he said in a voice that vaguely resembled the sound of nails grinding against rock.

"That's what you said the last two times Barricade." Evee replied calmly, "I'm unsure as to why they keep sending you."

Barricade snarled and shot at her, but she managed to jump out of the way, trying to avoid the debris the impact created but was thrown off balance by the shockwave and hit the ground.

"You're so weak, I sometimes wonder why I waste my time on hunting such a miserable piece of carbon." The Decepticon snorted as he kept his gun trained to her. Evee slowly returned to her feet, spat off to the side and cracked both sides of her neck. She pointed her right arm at him, fist parallel to the ground.

The grappling claw shot at the 'con with the speed of a bullet, it snapped onto his left optic, making him howl in pain.

He jerked back, sweeping Evee right off her feet. Barricade stumbled around yowling and trying to rip the claw off his eye as Evee was flung around on the other end of the cable, her eyes wide and her teeth clenched tight, if she opened her mouth the constant thrashes of the Decepticon would have caused her to bite her tongue off.

"MY EYE MY EYE! AAAGHH!" Barricade screamed and continued to thrash.

Evee was sent straight up in the air above his head, she shot her left grapple and latched it onto his head, she landed on his shoulder and wrapped the cable around his neck with her left arm and desperately pulled as hard as she could on his eye until it ripped out completely.

Barricade let out another bloodcurdling screech and ripped Evee's cables off of him, throwing her against the wall of the drainage ditch.

Barricade glared at her with his one optic, the look was beyond murderous. Evee slumped against the cement, still too dazed to get back up. Was this it? Has she finally been met her match after so many rounds? It was a little embarrassing considering how fast this one went by…

The Decepticon shot once more at her, but the sword of another robot, a red and blue one with a war mask covering the majority of his face aside from his optics, Optimus Prime himself in his bipedal form deflected the shot, ricocheting it into the ground between Barricades peds.

The leader towered over Barricade, standing between him and the human. Evee watched the two while she held her aching back.

"Optimus Prime, it's a true honor to stand in your presence." Barricade said with mock flattery, "But this isn't the time for you to be interfering with my affairs. That thing behind you belongs to me."

Optimus' optics narrowed at the foe and made no sign of moving aside. Nothing infuriated him more than Decepticons harming innocent humans for no rhyme or reason.

"What would bring you to such a level that you dare attack a mere child." He inquired in a hard tone, Barricade sneered.

"Oh you have no idea what that 'mere child' possesses, Autobot, Lord Starscream will greatly award me for turning her in. He has been longing to obtain a new form of prey to mount on the prow of the Nemesis." He said and foolishly tried to get at her, but Optimus effortlessly redirected him into the nearest wall faster than he could squeak.

Barricade stumbled backwards from his newly made landmark, his chest and eye socket were leaking with Energon.

Optimus prepared for him to retaliate, but Barricade merely transformed back into a car and drove off in a cloud of dust. Prime remained in a ready position for a few more moments until he was sure the coward was gone before looking back at the human child.

She was sitting up with her hand on her head, she had several bruises and cuts but otherwise looked fine which was quite surprising considering the battering she had received. Any other human should have been in critical condition or worse.

The Autobot leader kneeled down on one knee, retracting his mask he studied her, and she looked up at him, seeming to be hypnotized by the dozens of rotating metals that made up the Cybertronian's optics.

"I really shouldn't be alive," she wheezed, but her lips twitched, threatening to form a pained smile, "Then again I probably shouldn't complain."

"You clearly are well familiarized with beings such as the Decepticon designated as Barricade. I must admit that this is a surprise to say the least." Optimus said to her, she nodded as she glanced at her wrist braces, the grappling claws were dented but otherwise intact, one still held Barricade's eye.

"I can imagine. I'm afraid that it's a bit of a long explanation." She replied, "Though I have not met one that saved my sorry hide before. I thank you for that, sir."

Optimus nodded and looked around, he looked back to Evee. She certainly didn't seem to behave like the 'thieving gremlin' that Agent Fowler had described her as.

"What is your name young one?" he asked.

"Evelyn Peters, or Evee." The girl answered with a slight smile and nod, "It's a pleasure to meet you, er…"

"My name is Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots here on this planet."

"Right, right, Optimus Prime, that's what 'Cade called you. I've heard of you only a few times before."

Optimus appeared to contemplate that for a few moments before speaking again.

"I have other questions to ask you, but perhaps in a more secure location." He said. Evee nodded without hesitation.

"Of course, if that is your desire, I will comply." She replied, standing up. Optimus paused for a moment. The girl constantly spoke to him as if she were one of his soldiers carrying out one of his orders. Of all the time he had been on earth he had known that other children around her age almost never behaved in such a way.

The Autobot leader soon brought his servo up to the side of his helm and activated his communication link.

"Optimus to Base, I require a ground bridge." He said.

.::Right away Optimus. Stand by::. The voice of his oldest friend responded on the other end of the line almost instantly, not even questioning as to why considering the Prime was more than capable of driving back to base from there.

Suddenly in a flash of green and white about three metres away, a swirling vortex formed out of thin air. Evee's eyes widened slightly at the almost impactful maelstrom of energy.

"What's that?" she asked.

"That is a ground bridge portal, a gateway that allows us access to anywhere on the globe." Optimus replied, he then transformed back into a truck and opened his passenger side door; Evee carefully climbed up and closed it behind her.

Optimus revved his engine and drove into the ground bridge, Evee felt as if the gravity of the vortex was compressing and stretching every muscle, bone and nerve in her body as they passed through, though not exactly painful, it did make her feel a tad queasy. But as soon as she felt it, the feeling vanished as they appeared in a different location with a brilliant flash of light.

She opened the door and slowly climbed out to see what looked like the inside of a mountain base somewhere in the Nevada desert, they were not alone either.

Over at a set of alien computers was an orange and white Autobot, he turned around and looked at them as his expression transitioned from neutral to surprise to outrage.

Optimus transformed back to his normal form; the human girl was in awe on how big everything was, including the Autobot insignia that displayed proudly the ground just in front of her. Everything was supersized to fit the goliaths that occupied the old silo, making her wonder just how many Cybertronians resided in it. The other Autobot cautiously approached his leader.

"Optimus, you couldn't have possibly…" he started, but the leader cut him off with a raise of his hand.

"It is more complicated than you might consider, Ratchet." Optimus said, "She was under attack by a Decepticon by the name of Barricade, and according to what she has told me, the human has experienced quite the history with him."

"He's correct, Barricade has been hunting me like a bloodhound after a jailbird for a long time…" Evee added, speaking to the medic with no hesitation, "He appears to think that I'm of some importance to his master, though quite frankly I have no idea what that could be considering Decepticons normally wouldn't give two screws about humans."

Ratchet and Optimus both caught her lie as soon as she said it. She did know why they wanted her, but she clearly wasn't going to elaborate any further on that matter. Ratchet frowned deeper.

"And you're still in one piece? Bah!" Ratchet scoffed, "highly unlikely for a species like you."

"And yet here I am in front of you. Fancy that." Evee replied almost through her teeth. It appeared that Ratchet had struck a nerve.

"Easy." Optimus warned as he glanced between the two, "We will gain nothing by goading each other into a quarrel."

"Sorry." The girl apologized but shot the old medic an indignant look nonetheless. Ratchet grew more cross but held his tongue for Optimus' sake.

"I just can't fathom that a child could hold off Decepticon attacks alone, with no armor or weapons." Ratchet rephrased his previous statement. Evee nodded thoughtfully. Once again, the urge to prove another wrong had bubbled up, perhaps because it wasn't often that she had the opportunity considering that she wasn't often right about anything.

So she lifted her hand and turned it over to reveal the disembodied Decepticon optic that was still secure in the grappling claw as if it made some disturbing fashion statement.

"By the all-spark.." Ratchet gasped at the sight. Optimus had been present to witness girl's act on Barricade himself, despite that it still surprised him he remained inexpressive; a talent he had inherited and mastered long ago.

"Pretty cool eh?" she grinned, seeming fairly pleased that she had managed to make the old Autobot medic gawk like a simpleton within the ten minutes she had known him.

"But how?" Ratchet asked. The girl tapped the claw with her free fingers.

"With this, I fashioned these two grappling hooks and cables into the braces from old Cybertronian metal recovered from…past instances, they've saved me more times than I can count." She explained.

Ratchet straightened slightly.

"Well, maybe it's…possible. But that doesn't answer the question of why they have targeted you from other humans." He reminded her, Optimus nodded.

"Indeed, I am curious about that still." He said thoughtfully, "Do you have any theories?"

Evee had suddenly developed a fascination with the far walls as soon as she was asked, almost reluctant to tell, but she knew that the Autobots were trustworthy despite only knowing them for a short period of time. She took a deep breath, preparing herself.

"You probably won't believe me, but…" she started, but was soon interrupted by a blaring computer alert.

"Incoming call from special agent Fowler." Ratchet announced when he checked the screen, Optimus almost looked irritated, but with himself.

"Agent Fowler is waiting for me in town." He explained, "I must go retrieve him."

"I'll bridge you back to your previous coordinates." Ratchet said and activated the portal after programming it and pulling the activation lever, Optimus reverted to his alternate form and drove back through, vanishing. Ratchet closed the bridge and turned to face the houseguest of the base. Said guest returned her own attention to him.

"So…" she said, rocking on her heels with her arms behind her back, "I think our first impression went quite well don't you?"

Ratchet groaned and turned his heavily armored backside towards her and resumed whatever mediocre project he had been working on before the little urchin's arrival.

'Yes,' he thought, 'as well as a Scraplet horde attending a precious metal convention…'