More Line of Duty!
“Still here?” Ratchet looked surprised.
Will nodded. “Ironhide left without me.” He hesitated. “Ratchet, I think he’s going to do something stupid.”
“Nonsense,” Ratchet assured him. “Ironhide is-“ As he spoke, he brought up his sensors. He sighed. “-Heading south on I-5.” The medic toggled the radio. “Optimus, we have a problem.”
x-x-x
Ironhide rolled into the police precinct parking lot to find the LAPD waiting for him. Human officers crowded the underground parking area carrying rifles and handguns, forming an arc around the startled Autobot. Two cruisers pulled across the entrance, blocking his escape.
Brainwashed idiots. Can’t they see Barricade is using them? Ironhide’s engine growled. He wasn’t worried about the firearms - his armor could handle nearly anything the humans could throw at him. He didn’t want to hurt any of them, but he wasn’t letting anything stop him from getting at that murdering slagger.
He ignored the officers’ orders to backup and shut off his engine. Barricade was somewhere in the complex, he could tell that much from sensor data. He’d obviously tipped off the officers to Ironhide’s approach. The wily Decepticon was defusing his energy signature, making him impossible to pin down.
And picking out one black and white car from a sea of black and whites… Ironhide growled in frustration.
An wiry grey-haired human stepped through the line of cruisers, giving Ironhide a look that disconcertingly reminded the Autobot of an old drill sergeant by the name of Kup.
“What in the blue hell do you think you’re doing?!” Ironhide flinched a bit. Oh yeah, just like Kup.
x-x-x
Bumblebee squealed to a stop in front of the police station, Lennox bailing out of the passenger door. He evaded a grab by one of the police officers blocking the entrance to the parking area. He ducked around a police car and stopped dead, Sam running into his back.
“And furthermore, how exactly were you planning on explaining two giant alien robots having a death match in downtown LA? I think you people would have caused enough damage in Mission City, without adding my city to the casualty list,” the old cop was saying caustically. Ironhide sank lower on his tires as the dressing-down continued. The officers had already holstered their weapons, leaning against their cars to watch the show.
“But-“ Ironhide tried to get a word in. “I-“
The chief cut him off with a raised hand. “I’m not finished.”
“Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to stand back.” The officer tried to usher Lennox and Sam out.
“We’re with the truck,” Lennox explained.
The officer snorted. “I wouldn’t admit that right now, if I were you,” he said dryly.
x-x-x
The police chief turned and stalked back through the cruisers, leaving the Autobot truck to slink out of the lot.
The chief stopped, spitting another car with a glare. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you two. I expect you to behave yourselves, and stop baiting the truck, or I’m going to do more than chew you out.” He headed for the precinct doors.
“And change those damn decals!”
Barricade pretended not to hear him. Frenzy just snickered.
x-x-x
Ironhide was so quiet on the ride back that Lennox began to worry. “’Hide? You alright?” he asked quietly as they headed north.
The truck sighed. “I’m fine… It’s just… aw, forget it.”
“You can talk to me, Ironhide,” Will coaxed.
Ironhide was silent for a few minutes. “I’m starting to scare myself,” he admitted finally. “There was a time that I would have been furious with anyone who tried what I just did, but I didn’t even think about where he was, what it meant... So many people have died already, it’s getting hard to make myself care anymore. And that scares me.”
Will tried to think of something comforting to say, but came up blank. The silence stretched for a long uncomfortable moment.
“Bah,” Ironhide broke in with a disgusted tone. “Let’s just get you home.”
Lennox grinned. “Somehow I get the feeling you’re less interested in my curfew and more interested in avoiding Prime,” he teased.
“Slag yes! I’ve already been through one dressing-down today, I don’t need to face Prime’s lecture too!” Ironhide said fervently. “That old guy was bad enough!”
Will laughed. Ironhide was going to be just fine…
Will nodded. “Ironhide left without me.” He hesitated. “Ratchet, I think he’s going to do something stupid.”
“Nonsense,” Ratchet assured him. “Ironhide is-“ As he spoke, he brought up his sensors. He sighed. “-Heading south on I-5.” The medic toggled the radio. “Optimus, we have a problem.”
x-x-x
Ironhide rolled into the police precinct parking lot to find the LAPD waiting for him. Human officers crowded the underground parking area carrying rifles and handguns, forming an arc around the startled Autobot. Two cruisers pulled across the entrance, blocking his escape.
Brainwashed idiots. Can’t they see Barricade is using them? Ironhide’s engine growled. He wasn’t worried about the firearms - his armor could handle nearly anything the humans could throw at him. He didn’t want to hurt any of them, but he wasn’t letting anything stop him from getting at that murdering slagger.
He ignored the officers’ orders to backup and shut off his engine. Barricade was somewhere in the complex, he could tell that much from sensor data. He’d obviously tipped off the officers to Ironhide’s approach. The wily Decepticon was defusing his energy signature, making him impossible to pin down.
And picking out one black and white car from a sea of black and whites… Ironhide growled in frustration.
An wiry grey-haired human stepped through the line of cruisers, giving Ironhide a look that disconcertingly reminded the Autobot of an old drill sergeant by the name of Kup.
“What in the blue hell do you think you’re doing?!” Ironhide flinched a bit. Oh yeah, just like Kup.
x-x-x
Bumblebee squealed to a stop in front of the police station, Lennox bailing out of the passenger door. He evaded a grab by one of the police officers blocking the entrance to the parking area. He ducked around a police car and stopped dead, Sam running into his back.
“And furthermore, how exactly were you planning on explaining two giant alien robots having a death match in downtown LA? I think you people would have caused enough damage in Mission City, without adding my city to the casualty list,” the old cop was saying caustically. Ironhide sank lower on his tires as the dressing-down continued. The officers had already holstered their weapons, leaning against their cars to watch the show.
“But-“ Ironhide tried to get a word in. “I-“
The chief cut him off with a raised hand. “I’m not finished.”
“Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to stand back.” The officer tried to usher Lennox and Sam out.
“We’re with the truck,” Lennox explained.
The officer snorted. “I wouldn’t admit that right now, if I were you,” he said dryly.
x-x-x
The police chief turned and stalked back through the cruisers, leaving the Autobot truck to slink out of the lot.
The chief stopped, spitting another car with a glare. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you two. I expect you to behave yourselves, and stop baiting the truck, or I’m going to do more than chew you out.” He headed for the precinct doors.
“And change those damn decals!”
Barricade pretended not to hear him. Frenzy just snickered.
x-x-x
Ironhide was so quiet on the ride back that Lennox began to worry. “’Hide? You alright?” he asked quietly as they headed north.
The truck sighed. “I’m fine… It’s just… aw, forget it.”
“You can talk to me, Ironhide,” Will coaxed.
Ironhide was silent for a few minutes. “I’m starting to scare myself,” he admitted finally. “There was a time that I would have been furious with anyone who tried what I just did, but I didn’t even think about where he was, what it meant... So many people have died already, it’s getting hard to make myself care anymore. And that scares me.”
Will tried to think of something comforting to say, but came up blank. The silence stretched for a long uncomfortable moment.
“Bah,” Ironhide broke in with a disgusted tone. “Let’s just get you home.”
Lennox grinned. “Somehow I get the feeling you’re less interested in my curfew and more interested in avoiding Prime,” he teased.
“Slag yes! I’ve already been through one dressing-down today, I don’t need to face Prime’s lecture too!” Ironhide said fervently. “That old guy was bad enough!”
Will laughed. Ironhide was going to be just fine…