Chapter Text
Friday Late Afternoon: Autobot Base
“Agent Fowler, do you really think it is necessary for there to be another agent monitoring the children at school?” Optimus asked with a light tone of curiosity to his voice. “After all, their Autobot guardians watch over them-“
“While dropping them off and picking them up,” the special agent clarified. “Look Prime, I don’t doubt the kids’ safety with your bots, it’s during school hours and missions that my superiors are worried about. Especially with the Cons and M.E.C.H. getting more active. Just think of this as…an added layer of protection for them.”
“Very well,” Optimus replied with an understanding nod as he stood from his crouched position. He wasn’t opposed to the children having more protection, but he didn’t like the idea involving yet another person in their conflict even if it was seasoned special agent.
“WAIT! We’re getting our own secret agent bodyguard?!” Miko hollered excitedly as she came running to the railing of the catwalk, while Jack and Raf stayed over in their lounge area. “DUDE! This is gonna rock! Will they speak to us in code? Do we get cool nicknames to address each other!? I want to be Shrieking Banshee!”
“Now look here missy, this isn’t some Saturday spy cartoon,” Fowler scolded, earning a disappointed groan from the energetic teen. “Agent Miller is going to appear as the new librarian, and you’re going treat him as such. No codes, no nicknames. This is going to be a by the book protection detail for him and nothing else.”
“L-AME! But whatever…so, when does the old dude invade our space?”
“Nick’s a few years younger than me,” Fowler muttered under his breath before clearing his throat. “He’ll be starting this Monday at your school.”
“Yea…Wait, do you think he’ll let us skip class at the library?”
“Miko,” Optimus sighed disapprovingly.
As Monday morning arrived, the kids of Team Prime found themselves a mix of emotions at meeting their new ‘librarian’ during the school’s assembly in the gym. After what Agent Fowler said (and continued to stress) they pictured the mystery man to be a sour faced looking individual with no tolerance for fun, kind of like Ultra Magnus. But when time for the assembly came, they were surprised.
“So, that’s the guy?” Raf asked as he tried to sit a little straighter to look over the tops of the other students sitting in front of them.
The individual in question was standing at the end of the faulty lineup, near the podium the principle was speaking from. He had short, curly milk chocolate hair streaked with grey, and he wore a red plaid button-down with the sleeves rolled up while his hands were shoved into his pants pockets as he listened to the speech with a lazy smile.
Overall, he seemed to have a very causal, non-threatening vibe about him, but the kids noted that every now and again, he would tense ever so slightly as his eyes darted to the exits of the room before he relaxed again. Honestly, he didn’t look like what they had pictured at all.
“Yeah, I guess so,” Jack finally replied with a relieved sigh.
“What a rip. With how Fowler was talking, I was expecting like human equivalent of Megatron or something. Not the human version Optimus,” Miko pouted. Jack and Raf both looked to her with bewildered expressions.
“What does that even mean?”
“I’d imagine Human Megatron to be a hulking scary biker dude that’s all edges and anger! But this guy is tall, a little soft looking, and has freckles everywhere. So, Human Optimus.” The girl stated confidently.
“I…still don’t follow?” Raf admitted, adjusting his glasses. “Why does freckles mean he’s Human Optimus?” Miko rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically.
“Never mind, you just won’t be able to wrap your minds around it.”
“To be fair Miko, I don’t think I want to,” Jack replied with a small chuckle. Raf nodded his head in agreement resulting in Miko ruffling his hair playfully before the three focused back on what was being said.
“And before we finish our assembly for today, please know that Mrs. Martin wishes all of us the best as she settles into retirement in California. Now, allow me to introduce our school’s new librarian! Mr. Miller!” the principle announced with a flourishing wave to new man as the students gave half-hearted claps. The ‘librarian’ gave a nod of acknowledgement as he stepped up to the podium.
“Howdy y’all,” he greeted with deep southern accent and a kind smile. “Thanks for the enthusiastic welcome not just to the school but to Jasper as a whole. Nice place this here little town. Now, if you ever need some help looking for a good book or something to help with research, I’m more than happy to oblige,” he finished, making direct eye contact with the kids of Team Prime. Then he gave a wave to everyone, and stepped back.
There was another round of half-hearted claps, and the principle blinked with surprise, as if he was expecting more of a speech or something from the new librarian. But he quickly recovered and jumped forward to the podium again.
“Thank you, Mr. Miller! And with that, our assembly is over. Please report to your next class in an orderly fashion!”
As the students began to file out of the doors back to the main building, Nick Miller watched his three new charges and noticed how they were side eyeing him nearly the whole way out. No telling what Bill told them, he thought with an amused smile. Hopefully, they’ll warm up to me babysitting them when Prime and the others can’t.
“So, Nicholas,” the principle began, interrupting the agent’s internal monologue. “What do you think of our bright minded pupils?”
“Not a lot to say yet,” Nick shrugged, scratching his chin. “I’m sure it will take a few days before I figure them out, and vice versa. And, you can call me Nick. The only person to call me Nicholas was my Nana, and that was when I was in trouble.”
“Oh, yes… Nick. Well, maybe you can help broaden some of these children’s minds with some classic literature. Though, I won’t lie, it will be a challenge seeing as most of the student population is addicted to some kind of screen be it a phone, computer, or TV,” the principle shuttered in disgust.
“Not a fan of technology, eh?” Nick asked, shoving his hands back into his pants pockets and resisting the urge to snort at the irony. Technophobe living in the town next door to Robot Aliens.
“Not when it creates active dependency in children and stunts their social development.”
“Right,” the agent hummed, raising a brow. “Well with a strong opinion like that, I take it you’re the one spearheading the push to ban cellphones on school grounds?”
The principle eagerly nodded and began explaining about the evils of cellphones distracting students, but at this point, Nick was tuning the man out. The agent felt that pleasantries only extended so far, and he was bored with talking with the other man. Instead, his mind began going over the details of his mission once more.
Primary Objective: Protect the children of Team Prime from any potential dangers not limited to the Decepticons and M.E.C.H.
The children in question are as follows:
Jackson Darby or Jack, 16 years old, and only child of June Darby who is a trauma nurse in the ER at Jasper Regional. The boy works at the K.O. Burger at the corner of Saltland Ave. and 5th on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays after school. Average grades…with the exception of History and Geography. He’s top of his class in those two subjects. It’s said once he looks a map, he has it memorized. His Autobot guardian is Acree. He has been known to assist in reckon missions successfully. He is also known as the responsible one for the most part with notable exceptions being when certain classmates are involved. Double Monitoring During Those Situations.
Miko Nakadai, 15 years old, foreign exchange student from Tokyo, Japan. The only daughter of Hoshi and Chiyo Nakadai. She is notorious for her reckless behavior since coming into contact with the Autobots. In spite of having a lower grade in history (perhaps due to the school’s emphasis on Western culture), Miko has exceptional grades, especially in Art and Music Appreciation. Her Autobot guardian is Bulkhead and on occasion, fellow Wrecker Wheeljack. She will run through a Groundbridge straight onto the battlefield. She has actually engaged Decepticons in battle...and won. MUST MONITOR AT ALL TIMES.
Rafael Jorge Gonzales Esquivel or Raf, 12 years old, and is the extremely intelligent middle child of Luis Gonzales and Abigail Esquivel. His two older siblings are Tomas and Valeria, and his two younger siblings (the twins) are Adrian and Lucas. Raf is a master of technology and even understands Cybertronian both in its written form as well as its spoken form. He excels in all subjects, but has the highest grades in Math and Computer Science. Due to be his smaller than average height, as well as his above average intelligence, Raf is a victim of bullying at school. Monitor For Signs of Physical or Mental Distress. He has been caught hacking the Pentagon...and is now on the NSA's watchlist. His Autobot guardian is Bumblebee, or Ratchet when Bumblebee is unavailable. He can operate the Groundbridge, and has been studying with Ratchet about basic Cybertronian first aid.
Nick closed his eyes and sighed. He had a feeling that this mission was going to be easier said than done.