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Lovebirds and Lunatics

"Hey, Miko." Arcee walked over to her and Jack's favorite spot at the top of the mesa near the Autobot base and sat beside Miko.

"Hi." Miko glanced up at her, smiled, and returned her gaze to the sunset.

"I'm a little surprised to find you here." Arcee and Jack liked to watch the sunset from the old stomping grounds whenever they could, and also sunrises, on the occasions when he got up early enough. Miko, on the other hand, usually spent her time off playing video games whenever she wasn't hanging out with her friends.

"I needed to find someplace quiet and just … take things in."

"I hope you didn't get any bad news." Arcee stared down at Miko for a moment. "Your parents …?"

Miko grinned. "They're still arguing about it, but I think they're going to let me stay. At least, I hope so."

"So do the rest of us. You've become a valued member of our team, as well as a close friend." Arcee turned to watch the sunset. "I'd hate to see the gang broken up."

"It could still go sour, but I'm getting a good vibe from my family. Mom's firmly on my side, and I think Dad's starting to come around after he saw us in action yesterday. One of the things they were talking about is the legal hoops they'd have to jump through if they do let me stay. I mean, Jack and Raf and I are already on the payroll as 'Special Consultants,' but I'm not sure how we could keep getting directly involved in the fight without a bunch of contrived excuses. Maybe my parents would just have to sign a waiver or something, but there might be a lot more to it. Still, I'm hopeful."

"Glad to hear it." Arcee smiled. "At least Jack's mom has decided to jump right into the thick of it with him, so she probably feels a lot better about letting him stick around since she can be there to help watch his back."

"Heh. I don't think my parents are ready to put themselves in the bad guys' sights, though my dad kept pretty cool under fire, and I heard Mom didn't completely freak out, either." Miko shrugged. "Well, I made my case to them as best I could. All I can do now is wait. But like I said, I've got a good feeling about this." Miko glanced up at Arcee again. "By the way, how'd June's first day of combat training go?"

"Jack and I were with her the whole afternoon, and now we're following her to the lounge so she and Jack can unwind." Arcee laughed softly. "The poor woman's exhausted. She'd never fired a gun before her little road trip with McClory, and today Ashanti had her on the firing range with several pistols and rifles. On her first attempt, she hit the target once and missed all the other shots completely. She improved a lot, though, once she got used to it."

"Well, at least she didn't run around pointing the gun straight up, like that time she tried to play one of the Call of Duty games with Jack." Miko giggled. "How'd she do with the hand-to-hand stuff?"

"That's the part that really wore her out. She learned the moves pretty quickly, though. Ashanti seemed impressed. She's planning to have June put her armor through its paces tomorrow, teach her how to use the jetpack in combat, and whatnot."

"Good. I hope we can all go on the mission, once the ship is built. It just wouldn't feel right if we weren't all together."

"It sure wouldn't." Arcee focused her attention for a moment on the feed from her remote-controlled body's optics, and grinned suddenly. "Clayton just joined us in the lounge. Looks like he might be hoping to keep June company."

"Ah." Miko smirked. "I think they'd make a cute couple." She aimed a shit-eating grin up at Arcee. "And if he's gonna be spending time with her, that'll give you and Jack a chance to go back to your quarters and fuck like rabbits."

Arcee burst into laughter. "That's definitely on our to-do list." She leaned back, braced her palms on the rock beneath her, and raised a brow plate. "How about you? Still got your sights set on Knockout?"

"Eh, I dunno. He's definitely cute, but he seems to be squicked-out by the whole concept of sex. And I'm not sure his ego would let him think about anyone but himself getting off." Miko cocked her head. "Terwilliger kind of intrigues me, but he can't go there without getting into serious trouble. Which … eh, if I'm gonna keep getting into life-threatening situations to help save the world, I should be allowed to get laid."

"Well, maybe you could work that into whatever agreement your parents have to sign to let you stay. Y'know, make it part of your compensation."

"Hah! A biweekly paycheck and my own personal concubine. Like they'd agree to that." Miko laughed and then shrugged. "Still, it's worth a try. Maybe one of the Pretenders is available, or one of our new Vehicon allies. Since they're alien robots, it's not like one of them could be arrested for banging an underage girl. But just in case, I should try to find some place where the age of consent is fifteen or under, and add the coordinates to the ground-bridge. At least with one of them, I wouldn't have to worry about getting knocked up or catching a disease."

Huh. Jack said sex is something people do when they love each other, but Miko seems to only want the experience without any emotional attachment. Apparently, different people have their own reasons. Arcee nodded. "That does sound safer, yeah. And Terwilliger seems to have his heart set on Strika, anyway."

"Heh, I'm not even jealous. I'd actually give a month's pay to see how that pans out. I mean, what would it even be like to have sex with someone as stoic as she is, anyway?" Miko giggled and then affected a stereotypical Russian accent. "Is good, yes. Your member is most pleasing. Are you ready to ejaculate? Very well, you may proceed."

Arcee snorted and then both of them collapsed in a fit of laughter. When Arcee regained control of herself, she stared at the fading light on the horizon and shook her head slowly.

"Like I said, I really hope you do get to stay. Things just wouldn't be the same without you."

---

"Wow, you look exhausted," Tenesha said when she walked into the lounge and found June sprawled on the nearest sofa.

"I figured I should get some combat training in case I end up in a situation where I need to defend myself or Jack," June mumbled as she closed her eyes and tried not to think about her aching muscles. "Which is more likely than I want to think about, given what we've already been through in the past five or six months."

"She took it like a champ, though," Jack said from the armchair at the end of the couch. Arcee's Pretender body sat cross-legged on the floor in front of him, and he leaned forward to put his arms around her shoulders. "The hand-to-hand stuff was a hoot. Mom took a pounding, but kept coming back for more."

"Heh. Be thankful for that kind of determination. It's what kept me in school after you were born." June managed a soft chuckle and a quick glance at him.

"Oh, I am. If you hadn't, you wouldn't have gone on to medical school. You wouldn't have had a future, and neither would I." Jack gave Arcee a smooch on the cheek. "If anything had turned out differently, I probably would never have met my girl."

"Glad I could help." June grinned and took a few slow breaths. Ugh, I can't fall asleep right here. I'll probably drool all over myself and wake up with a cramp in my neck.

The sound of metal feet tapping across the floor drew her attention. She forced her eyes back open and found Clay walking over to the sofa with a paper cup in each hand. She smiled and pushed herself back upright.

"I thought you might like some hot cocoa." He nodded at the vending machine in the corner and held one of the cups out to her.

"I would. Thank you." She accepted the cup and held it in both hands, only now noticing how cold the room was. Either winter was creeping up on the desert surrounding the base, or the air conditioning had been turned up too high. She motioned at the empty spot on the sofa and added, "Have a seat."

He grinned and sat beside her.

Jack and Arcee exchanged a quick glance and stood.

"Well," Jack said, "if you two can keep each other company, I think we'll head home. I've, uh, got some studying to do."

Is that what the kids are calling it, these days? June smiled and nodded at the door. "Don't let me keep you. I'll probably need to just sit here for a couple of hours before I'm recovered enough to go back to my quarters and take a shower." And by morning, I'll probably be so sore all over, I may not even be able to move.

"Thanks, Mom." Jack darted toward the door, then stopped and turned back. "You did a hell of a job this afternoon. Keep up the good work."

"I'll try. Goodnight, kids."

Both of them said goodnight, Arcee slipped her hand into Jack's, and they rushed out the door.

Clay tossed a lopsided grin in their general direction. "Now, where are they off to in such a hurry?"

"Jack's a teenager and Arcee's his girlfriend." June shrugged and laughed.

"Oh. Right. Of course. 'Studying.'" Clay chuckled, leaned back, and crossed his ankles. He took a sip of his cocoa. "It's been a long time since I could be considered a teenager. But then, I was lucky enough not to outgrow the horniness."

Across the room, one of the other Pretenders glanced over his shoulder with a huge grin and said, "In addition to just not really growing up at all."

"Well, as a wise man once said, what's the point of being a grown-up if you can't be childish sometimes?"

June grinned, sipped her cocoa, and mimicked Clay's relaxed pose.

"So, you think those two are together forever? Like, planning to get married and whatnot?"

"Depending on the legality of marrying an alien." June nodded slowly. "I definitely think they want to be together no matter what."

"Huh," a human half-slumped over the bar muttered. "If they're thinking about getting married, he'd better start hiding his money away now."

Clay stared at him with his mouth hanging open. "You're a fuckin' monster!"

June and the Pretender who'd spoken a moment ago both burst out laughing. The Pretender held a hand up and shook his head.

"Don't listen to him. He's just going through a rough divorce."

"Well," Clay said, "I happen to be a 'glass-half-full' kinda guy. I think Jack and Arcee make a wonderful couple, and I wish them all the best." He raised his cup of cocoa as if making a toast.

"I'm glad to hear it." Grinning, June hoisted her cup and tapped it against his. Hmm. Yep, this one just might be a keeper.

---

"Mmm, the coffee smells wonderful." Jack finished drying himself, tossed the towel into the laundry basket, closed his eyes, and took another deep breath.

"I figured I should go ahead and brew a pot while you were in the shower." Arcee grinned, stretched out on their bed, and propped her head on her hand. "Thought you might need a head start on the waking-up process."

"You were right." He quickly combed his hair, poured a cup, and flicked a bleary-eyed glance at her. "Want some?"

"I'm good, for now. You need it more than I do." She laughed softly as he yawned, crossed the room, and sat on the edge of the bed. "I've got to stop keeping you up so late every night."

"Staying up and fooling around was always a mutual decision." He grinned, leaned over, and kissed her.

"Hah, I had no idea you'd become such a sex addict once we started doing it."

"Look who's talking." He kissed her again, then moved his lips slowly across her metal cheek, over her neck, and across her chest. She moaned and closed her optics.

"I guess the … novelty hasn't worn off yet," she whispered.

"I hope it never does." Jack placed the coffee on the small table beside the bed and leaned over her again, leaving a trail of gentle kisses down her belly and toward her waist.

The Dean Scream erupted from his phone and he nearly jumped out of his skin. Arcee burst into laughter.

"That's probably the same message I just got." She arched a brow plate. "Sokolov seems to have resurfaced."

Jack read the text message and hauled himself back to his feet. "Yeah. Looks like a security camera outside a mall caught a glimpse of him. Facial-rec wasn't a hundred-percent match, but it's worth checking into."

"Yep. If it's him, June won't need to keep raking Silas over a cheese grater. If it's not, it'll give him an extra day or two to sweat before she works him over again." Arcee grinned and pointed a thumb over her shoulder. "I'm on the way over here to give you a ride to the briefing."

"Not quite the kind of 'ride' I was hoping for, but it'll do." He grinned and gave her another kiss before opening the drawers under the bed and pulling some clothes out. Once he finished dressing, he walked to the coffee pot, poured it into a thermos, and screwed the cap on. "Ready when you are."

---

"What the fuck are we looking at?" Miko gaped at the image on the wall screen and shook her head slowly. The guy in the photo wore cowboy boots, shorts that appeared at least two sizes too small, a Coors T-shirt, and a ten-gallon hat. And an enormous handlebar mustache that he couldn't have grown since yesterday. He must've bought it from a costume store, or maybe he had it hidden away in a supply cache. "So he's gone from Spetsnaz to MECH to … what? A cowboy-wannabe with a 1970s porn 'stache?"

"Not a bad disguise," Ashanti said. "Not at all what we expected. Not what we were really looking for. Kinda hiding in plain sight."

Bulkhead's human-size body nodded as several more photos of Sokolov slid across the screen. "I'm guessing that's why the facial-recognition software didn't get a full match."

"Yep." General Sanchez did a double-take at one of the photos, shook his head quickly, and turned to face everyone crowded around the conference table. "His eyes and nose were enough to trip the software, but the hat and that thing under his nose confused it. It's the only lead we have at the moment, so we're gonna check it out." He glanced at June and smirked. "If it's not Sokolov, you can try out a few more of your ideas for screwing with Silas's head."

"The fun never ends." June chuckled, winced, and reached up slowly to rub her neck.

"You okay, Mom?" Jack tried not to let a smile show, but couldn't quite suppress it.

"Really starting to feel yesterday's workout. But I won't let that stop me from going on the mission with you."

"We'll need to be sure that really is Sokolov," Ashanti said, "before we make a move against him. If it is, though, we won't let him get away again."

"Good," Sanchez said. "It's time we shut MECH down permanently." He turned to Jack and grinned. "You're gonna love this. These images were taken in the same town where your search for Arachnid started a few months back."

Oh, boy. That goddamn place again. Miko held in a giggle as Jack grimaced.

"I guess it makes sense. MECH did have a small operation set up there when Silas was working with Airachnid."

"That area in general does seem to attract assholes," Miko said.

"That, too." Jack sighed. "Is it still cold and rainy and miserable?"

"Pretty much. The best you can hope for is total cloud cover and a general dreariness. Still wanna go?"

"Hey, I'm in. At least I know enough to dress for the weather, this time."

I should do the same. Don't wanna go into a place like that with nothing but a T-shirt again. Last thing I need is for the cold air to make my titties even smaller. She turned back to the screen, which had been cycling the photos, just as the one that had taken Sanchez aback rolled around again. She stared at it for a moment and noticed what had prompted the double-take.

"Oh, Jesus Christ." She pointed at the gap in the left leg of the guy's shorts. "I just saw his balls."

"I feel your pain, kid." Sanchez kept his back to the screen. "It does suggest that he grabbed whatever clothes he could get his hands on. Might've even stolen 'em right there in that mall. We're checking with local police for reports of muggings and thefts from stores in the vicinity, and we're also keeping an eye on the whole region, particularly the area between that town and the mountain Airachnid picked for her lair."

"Setting up shop in the same place we caught Silas would be a bold move," Arcee said. "But then, maybe he figured we wouldn't predict it because of that."

"Could just be a place for him to lay low and plan his next move, but yeah, he might actually be crazy enough to run an operation there." Sanchez glanced around, making eye contact with everyone. "We've got UAVs covering the whole area, and you'll be going in the same way you started the search for Airachnid, arriving at separate points and patrolling. If Sokolov is spotted, you'll converge on his location and verify that it's really him. Once that's done, take him down."

"Understood," Ashanti said.

"Gear up." Sanchez stood, and the others followed suit. "Good hunting."