AUTHOR'S NOTES: First off, sorry for the gap between updates. I've had a little writer's block, so I've been doodling on my DeviantArt page until it subsided... I hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday season and as always, humbly ask for patience with my sporadic updates. I don't own Transformers, of course

Ch.9: The Best of What's Around

If sin, hatred, and lust had a taste it would be decadence itself. It was so thick and coiling in the air it was a heady rush on Swindle's glossa. Humans, he was quickly learning, were exquisite in their misery. And while the fleshy organics were disgusting in their weakness, that same weakness was a siren's call to him.

Exploit us, Swindle.

He would have been more than happy to, if not for the fact that he was on a mission. Of course, he grudgingly recognized the fact that he would be in an untold amount of pain if he gave in to impulse and abandoned his job to make a few credits. He comforted himself with the fact that once he'd found the source of the Autobot energy signature, he could requisition his most obnoxious air commander for permission to delve into this new world to make himself rich.

The form he'd chosen wasn't nearly as nimble as he would have liked. He'd never been one to forgo an alternate form that couldn't swiftly flee pursuit. The SUV he'd mimicked wasn't particularly fast, but the sheer amount of chrome the primitive vehicle had glittered with had been too tempting.

The envious stares of the pitiful organics he passed was certainly a plus.

It had taken him only kliks to figure out the primitive organic's so-called traffic system and now he felt smugly pleased as he weaved between the inferior vehicles crowding the streets. The fact that the colored lights dangling over or along the roads were actually coded instructions on how to proceed had been a surprise to him, but then these were primitive beings.

As one of the lights flashed to red- go figure- he slowed obediently to a stop.

And was instantly accosted by a native.

The organic's pigmentation was dark, but he suspected a lot of the coloration was simply filth. It made him wonder idly if the creature had applied the dirt to its flesh to protect it from the sun beating down and heating the surface under his wheels. At any rate, the thing was chattering at him and moving closer.

It made him glad he'd tinted the transparent viewing ports on the vehicle to black so the thing couldn't see no one was actually driving. The creature kept babbling as he noted the condition of its coverings- they were as filthy and tattered as it was, making him suspect it was a feral organic.

Annoyance flared as it fished a little bottle out of the recesses of the overly large coverings it wore and started spritzing him with liquid. His engine snarled softly as it produced an equally dirty rag and made as though to wipe off the liquid with it. All while babbling incessantly and trying to peer in at him.

Frag this.

As the human leaned in to touch him with the rag, he flicked out one of his windshield wipers. The human squawked in surprise as he clipped it in the head and let his engine's snarl grow louder in warning.

The little creature rubbed at its face, its expression wavering between confusion and alarm. Its vocalizations were getting louder to his irritation and when he'd just decided to try and smack it away again, the light changed.

Green meant go.

His bumper slammed the fleshy obstruction in front of him and one of his tires humped over it. The creature screeched as it didn't move out of his way quickly enough. Judging by the awful caterwauling, he supposed he must have only passed over one of its extremities. It would still have three functioning limbs, and surely that was plenty.

"Are you just going to bum around then?"

Cassey eased the decorative pillow she'd been holding over her face to the right and stared balefully up at Valerie. The older woman didn't look all that pleased herself, but Cassey refused to feel guilty. Val simply had no idea what she'd been through.

Sunny. She pressed the pillow more firmly over her eyes. She could block out the bright overhead light, but she couldn't block out his face- it was always waiting on her.

"I know you're mad you got caught sneaking out, but come on," Valerie said. She sounded mildly annoyed as she yanked the pillow away. "You had to know we'd catch you."

Cassey sighed and sat up. "It seemed important at the time." She managed to get the words out even though it felt like her throat was trying to close up. Sunny had used her and left, but oddly she couldn't summon any anger at him. Maybe because it was all directed at herself.

"You still haven't told us where you went." Valerie set the pillow on one of the chairs as she studied Cassey.

"I haven't." She agreed listlessly.

Valerie's eyes narrowed for a moment as she chewed on the tip of her tongue. "You know you can talk to me or Sophie if you need anything, right?" Her voice softened slightly and Cassey fidgeted feeling guilty.

"I know."

Giving a sigh, the older girl leaned over and kissed her on the top of her head like she'd done when Cassey had been only four or five years old. Cassey blinked slowly up at her cousin, feeling tears stinging her eyes.

She hated herself for it, but she found herself flinging herself against Valerie and clutching at her. She was crying like a heartbroken child, but she had no strength to stop. Valerie tolerated her tears with grace, running a hand over her hair and murmuring soothing nothings to her.

"I love him." She found herself moaning the three words over and over, even though Valerie couldn't have any idea who she was talking about. There was release in just telling someone-anyone.