Later on, I woke up on a jagged cradle. I groaned and lifted up.
  "Good morning," boomed a deep voice. I glanced up. A black, lion-like face with glowing blue eyes looked down at me. Ironhide. He shifted and I realized I wasn't in a cradle - I was in his arms.
  "What time is it?" I asked.
  "Eight fourty-five PM," he replied, setting me down. "You fell asleep after you finished eating."
  Eating...? Oh yeah, the ice cream. It always made me a bit tired.
  "Where's Nikki and Ratchet?" I put my arms behind my head and stretched, cracking my back satisfyingly.
  "Ratchet took Nikki back to the base," Ironhide reported. He started transforming. I glanced around. It was almost completely nighttime, thanks to the summer sun, and it looked like we were at a foothill somewhere around the beginnings of the California mountain range. It looked really nice from where we were, but it brought back memories of the Decepticon base. (Which had been abandoned since we infiltrated it last year.) I wondered why Ironhide had taken me out here.
  "Let's go home," he said, opening the driver's door. I climbed in, clicking on my seatbelt. The door shut gently. "Hang on."
  He drove down the hillside, bouncing over rocks and potholes. I clung to the steering wheel and tried not to smack my head on the roof. After about five minutes of mountain-driving, we finally reached the not-so-rough offroad terrain. Ironhide's engine roared and he hauled over the land, easily reaching a steady fifty. I leaned my head on the window.
  I'll be the shadow on the wall.
  I'll be the one to save us all.
  I glanced at the radio. 103.7 KRZR. Rock. I grinned. This seemed like the kind of stuff Ironhide would listen to.
  Then I remembered the mail message.
  "Oh crap," I mumbled, sitting up straight.
  "What is it?" Ironhide asked, reaching the real road.
  "I was supposed to meet somebody at the base tonight, in like, ten minutes. We'll never make it," I groaned, glancing in the sideview mirrors. There were a few town cars and a cop behind us. "I guess I'll just tell him I was busy."
  The engine rumbled the way I liked and Ironhide switched lanes.
  "Who were you planning to meet?" he asked.
  "Sam. He sent me an e-mail this morning asking me to see him tonight."
  Girl I think about you everyday now
  Was a time when I wasn't sure
  But now my mind's set at ease...
  The station suddenly flew into static. I jolted from how loud it was. Ironhide's grumbley voice filled the cabin.
  "Stupid Earth music," he murmured. It took me a second to realize it was only a half-mistake when he left it there. I smiled.
  "If this is because I bought you that super ice cream cone, Ironhide - "
  "Oh, shut it, human!" he snarled. I scoffed and rolled my eyes.
  "You're a real sweetheart, 'Hide," I giggled. He revved angrily.
  "I said shut it!"