Author's Note: Hello again, my lovely and fantastic readers! I know its been a while, but here is an update for you! Sorry it's taken so long to update… I'm graduating college soon(ish) – in December! – and senior project, classes and all my other obligations are taking up a lot of my potential writing time, but now it's SUMMER. I love your guys' reviews. It makes me so happy that you guys love Cardio as much as I do! :) And I know you are waiting for the proverbial shit to hit the fan when the Autobots find out about Sam's treatment… and believe me, it will. And of course there are some cute SamxBee and Cardio moments to come!
PS: I added The Hidden Truth playlist on my profile if you want to check it out :)
PPS: This chapter fought me a little, I had four ways it could have gone, but I finally decided that this was the direction I wanted it to go.
PPPS: I'm going to see Transformers: Age of Extinction tonight and it gave me the push I needed to update!
PPPPS: Oh my Unicron! 85 reviews for 5 chapters! You people are freaking amazing! I love you guys!
IMPORTANT - I wanted to let you all know that I changed my pen name from Poly Bookworm to The Magical Whovian!
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Review Responses:
Strawberry White Tiger: Thanks, I'm glad you like it. It took a little bit of time, but the next chapter is finally out!
HeidiFox: Ahh sorry it took so long! But here's the next one! :)
1Timberwolf: I'm glad you like Cardio, I seriously can't get enough of the little guy! Yeah, shits gonna hit the fan and the Autobots are not gonna be happy. Thanks for the review!
Leyla Chaos: Yay! I'm so glad you like Cardio! Haha, Bee's and the Autobot's reactions to Cardio are good (well, at least I hope you guys think they are :))
Moonlightkiss1515: (evil smirk);D
Dawn Racer: Yay! I'm glad! Here's more for you!
BELLA X STARFIRE7745231: Yay! :) Thanks for the review!
Iloveme5895: I'm glad you like the story so far, I hope I don't disappoint in the future!
Flaimingdarkfox: You'll just have to read this chapter to find out! :P
Litbitnurse87: I'm honored to be your first transformers fic! And I am so happy you like it! :)
Ladyjulianna: Thanks; I hurried as fast as I could! :)
Peya Luna: Your review cracked me up! Lets just say that shits gonna hit the fan so hard, the fans gonna explode :O And we haven't seen the extent of what Dr. Goldden (aka psycho-bitch) can do (cue dramatic music…. Dun dun DUUUUN)
TigerVixen: Thanks! I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint! :)
WarrierKat21: Thank you! And here's the next chapter!
Nada1224: Yeah, your guess about him being between the size of Frenzy and Scalpel is dead on (about the size of an infant would be the best size comparison I can think of)! I pictured him very light with the ability to easily maneuver his body into all sorts of places – big or small. I hope that helps! I'm glad you like the "torture Sam" concept, I was actually pretty nervous about how people would react to it, but so far its been well received, so I'm glad. For some reason I like the idea of overcoming the trauma of torture. I think that makes me weird, but oh well. Thanks for your review! :)
Winged Lady Colette: I am, to say the least, completely flattered by your review. And I'm sorry it took me so long to respond to you. I am so sorry I have left you (and all my other readers) hanging. I'm trying to get better at updating, but my schedule is so damn hectic! I'm happy that you think that I haven't made the characters unbelievable; I try my hardest to keep them as close to their original character as possible. And I'm glad that you think that Cardio fits in; I love the little guy so much! I know, like I said, I am trying to work on my updating and making the chapters longer, haha. But in all seriousness, I am truly flattered by your review. Thank you so much for taking the time to give me a little feedback :)
Qana Luella: Here you go!
o-WinterQueen-o: Thank you. It warms my heart to know that you like my story! Sorry it took so long, but here's the next chapter!
Darkloveforfanfiction: Yay! I'm glad you like it! Let's just say that the Autobots are not gonna like what they hear and Dr. Goldden better watch her back!
newerher3: Yay! That makes me so happy and honored! :D
Ciega Chica: Aww, thank you! I promise, I'm still here! Life is just… (sigh). Thank you for the feedback, you don't know how much that helps! :)
Guest: I haven't abandoned it… it's just life has a tendency to get in the way. Thanks for your review!
Dragon of Yin and Yang: Oh, I will! I promise!
spiritleopard: Aww thank you! I'm glad you are enjoying the story so far :) And I will, I love this story too much!
Talltree-san: Oh it is! I'm glad you like it!
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The Hidden Truth
Chapter 6: Home
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"Frag it, youngling! Let me see the boy!"
Bee was at a loss for what to do. After what seemed like the longest drive in his extremely long life, Bumblebee, Ratchet and Ironhide had finally made it back to the abandoned warehouse that they called their 'base.' Ratchet didn't bother Bee about scanning Sam during the ride, but now, Ratch was very adamant about checking the boy thoroughly. Once Bee rolled to a stop, the CMO transformed quickly and demanded that the boy be relinquished into his care.
However, Bee locked his doors with a very audible click, which made Ratchet to let out a low rumble.
On one hand, Bee knew that Sam was injured and, from what he could understand, his human biology was changing as well, but Bee didn't want Sam to leave the safety of his interior, even if it was temporary. Bee couldn't bare the thought of his Sam not being in physical contact with him. It hurt to even think about.
"I don't want to go, Bee," Sam whispered, drawing circles on Bumblebee's simulated leather upholstery, causing Bee to shiver. Sam sounded so sad and despondent; Bee didn't want to cause his Sam any more grief. He couldn't.
"Bumblebee," Optimus rumbled warningly from behind the CMO.
Bumblebee let out a high-pitched whine and sank on his wheels, his undercarriage skimming the concrete of the floor.
Optimus sighed while the CMO grumbled angrily, mumbling some very unpleasant things. Optimus reached out and gripped Ratchet's shoulder strut.
"Let them have today," he suggested, much to the CMO's protesting glare. "Let Bumblebee calm Samuel. Tomorrow is a new day, Ratchet."
Ratchet snorted, but didn't say anything, much to the surprise of both Optimus and Ironhide, who was watching silently from the other side of the large room where he leaned against a huge support beam with his arms crossed over his chest plates. Ratchet quickly turned around and stomped his way to his makeshift med-bay, making as much noise as he possibly could.
"I want Samuel in my med-bay at oh-eight hundred sharp," Ratchet yelled over his shoulder.
Once Ratchet was out of the room, Ironhide let out a low rumble. "Well, that was eventful."
Optimus shook his head slowly and turned back to Bumblebee. "I suggest you use today wisely, Bumblebee." And with that, Optimus nodded towards the youngest Autobot, signaling him that he was dismissed.
Counting his blessing, Bumblebee put himself into gear and slowly drove out of the hanger to allow him and his Sam to have some private time together. The base was located out in a secluded part of the Nevada desert, just a few miles out of Tranquility, so finding a place to be alone with Sam would be easy. Staying within range of the base, Bee drove up a small hill and rested on the top overlooking the desert. Bee made sure that his windows were tinted almost completely black so the harsh desert sun wouldn't aggravate his Sam's eyes as he rested in the driver's seat.
They sat in silence for a few minutes. It wasn't an awkward silence; Sam needed time to collect his thoughts and Bee didn't want to disturb the boy, he was content with his boy being with him once again. Bee had reclined the seat all the way back allowing Sam to lay comfortably. His back was to the door as he curled his legs up close to his aching body (mindful of his injured leg – Bee was rather upset about that), his right arm under his head as a pillow while the left lazily traced undistinguishable shapes on Bee's leather.
Sam closed his eyes tiredly and let out a shaky breath. "Bee…" he whispered, "I don't even know what to think anymore."
Bee let out another whine. "D-don't think, S-Sam," Bee responded, his voice drifting through the radio. Sam raised his head slightly to stare at the radio on the dashboard, his eyes wide with surprise. "J-just rest, I'll be her-re when you w-wake up."
"But Bee, I'm not t-i-i-ired," Sam tried to protest, but a yawn betrayed him.
Mechanical laughter echoed through the cab from the young Autobot. It was only a few minutes until the boy was fast asleep.
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Sam woke with a start, covered in sweat and breathing heavily. Bee hummed around him, rubbing against his conscious. The tension and fear quickly flooded out of him, but he sat up and looked wildly around the cab. He felt Cardio shift, Sam's uneasiness causing the heart-bot to get antsy in his small safe house.
The horrid nightmare surfaced brokenly into his consciousness. He could only remember snippets of the dream, but one thing stuck out the most vividly: him, broken and frail hunkered in a corner of the bright white room the scientists held him in… the dead bodies of the Autobots, Cardio and his parents scattered around him.
Sam clung to the leather of Bee's seat, as both Cardio and Bee tried to comfort the traumatized boy.
"God, Bee… oh, God…" he mumbled repeatedly, staring absently at the passenger seat. For an astrosecond, Bumblebee was afraid that whatever had happened to him broke his psyche. What could have happened to him…
"God, Bee. I was so scared… Scared that I would never see you again," he paused, rubbing his palm on Bee's center console. "Scared that I'd be stuck there forever."
Sam let out a strangled gasp, willing himself not to cry. He'd done enough crying on the way back to the Autobot base. Bee let out a sorrowful whine, just as he felt Cardio snuggle closer to his spark casing.
"I was so scared that I wouldn't be able to get Cardio out," he said, making to rub his chest, where he knew Cardio was safely stowed away in.
-Sam…- Bee's voice said, echoing strongly in Sam's mind. –What… what did they do to you?-
Sam let out a strangled gasp, fear and pain echoing across their bond. Bumblebee gave Sam the best mental hug he could give, letting feelings of comfort and love trickle into Sam's part of the bond… whatever the bond was.
-Bee, I can't… I'm not ready…- Sam whispered across the bond, afraid that if he said it out loud that he wouldn't be able to form coherent words. Bee latched onto Sam's consciousness, letting him know that he would be there to listen when his Sam was ready to talk about what happened.
-Could I…- Bumblebee hesitated, almost afraid to ask Sam. -Could I see him? Cardio?-
Cardio let out a loud, excited twitter, causing Sam to chuckle weakly.
"I think that's a 'yes', Bee," Sam responded, moving to take off the Arkansas Razorback sweatshirt, wincing as he moved. He hadn't noticed how sore he was until than.
Bee let out a concerned whine, but Sam shooed him off.
"I'll be fine, Bee." Bee twittered unhappily at his response.
Once his sweatshirt was off, Sam looked at the dash of the Camaro. "This is were it gets weird." Suddenly, the seam appeared down the center of Sam's chest again as he willed the chest panels to open. They let out a hydraulic hiss as they slid open, revealing the inside of Sam's techno-organic body.
Bee quickly noted his Sam's changing biology and spark, but turned his attention to the little sparkling cradled around Sam's small spark. He watched as the sparkling poked his head out of Sam's chest, and excitedly climbed into Sam's open arm as his chest plates closed. Cardio stretched dramatically and looked lovingly up at his creator, whirling happily.
Bee let out a few clicks in quick succession, causing the sparkling to turn away from Sam and stare at the radio on the dash. Bee felt Cardio brush against his conscious, which normally shouldn't be possible unless he was a creator. Cardio's conscious was familiar – Bee had felt it brush against his processor before – but never this strongly. Bee opened himself up to the small sparkling (a lot smaller than normal, he noted), which caused Cardio to let out a high-pitched squeal. Cardio quickly latched himself onto Bee's steering wheel in an attempt to hug the 'bot. Bee noticed that Sam let out a genuine laugh at Cardio's action.
"I think he likes you, Bee," Sam observed, grinning at the 'bots.
Bee wiggled his steering wheel back and forth in response, causing the little sparkling to squeal in glee as he clung happily to the wheel. A weak, but genuine smile formed on Sam's chapped lips at the interaction between the two.
Cardio moved his little legs to stand on Sam's knees, but still clung to the steering wheel happily. Being the curious little 'bot he was, Cardio reached for the lever on the left of the wheel, and pushed it down, causing Bee's windshield wipers to go off. The window washing fluid sprayed on the windshield causing Cardio to hum in curiosity. Bee always had a knack for adding in a dramatic flair. Cardio leaned forward into the steering wheel and…
BEEEEEEEEP!
Cardio jumped and scrambled into Sam's arms. Sam chuckled, only for it to turn into a guttural cough. The windshield wipers stopped midway and slowly moved back into their original position. Bee's engine revved.
-You're going to have to get that checked out,- Bee responded, reluctantly. –I don't have full body scanners powerful enough to scan you.-
Sam shrugged, watching as Cardio moved over to the automatic window button. –I don't want to think about it just yet, Bee. Tomorrow.-
Bee watched his boy closely; he could tell that the prospect of 'getting it checked out' terrified him more than he was letting on. But Bee would not push the boy, he was a patient 'bot and would wait for Sam to come to him. Bee pushed another wave of love and support across the bond as Sam latched on to the feelings, desperate for the contact.
Sam sat curled up in the Camaro, the feeling of being connected to Bee and watching his sparkling play with the automatic windows was more than he could have wished for at the moment.
Even with the looming danger and fear, in that moment, Sam really felt like he was home.
Unaware of the storm that was brewing…
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There was a knock on the door. Doctor Goldden ignored the knocking as she continued to talk, well… more like dehumanize, the person on the other line.
"But, Doctor Goldden, ma'am, I don't think-"
"I don't give a shit what you think. If you don't find the location of the Doctor Jameson, I will go down there myself and rip off your dick with my bare hands and cram the miniscule thing down your goddamn throat!"
The person on the other line spluttered as they tried to respond to the threat.
"If Doctor Jameson is not located and brought to me within the next 24 hours, you're dick will be on the chopping block. Do you hear me?"
"Y-y-yes, ma'am."
"Good." With that, Doctor Goldden slammed the office phone on the abused receiver and sat down at her desk with a dramatic huff.
There was another knock on the door, quieter and more hesitant than before.
"What?" she yelled, leaning back into her desk chair. Amanda peaked her head into the office, a terrified look on her face. "What do you want, Amy?"
Amanda didn't even bother correcting her boss. She swallowed hard. "Um, I-I have what you a-asked for, ma'am." The personal assistant held up a black device – the electro-wave generator remote. A sadistic smile formed on Doctor Goldden's face. Doctor Goldden motioned for Amanda to bring her the device. Amanda did as she was told and cautiously walked up to her boss' desk and handed her the remote.
Subject 00472 was going to regret ever escaping.
Doctor Goldden's finger grazed the top of the button, before pushing it was a merciless smile.
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Published: June 26, 2014 – unbeta'd