C173 StaneCheck out early access chapters on my Patréon, currently 14 chapters ahead!
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anwhile, as the Decepticons closed in on Earth, Sam Witwicky was pulling into his driveway after what he could only describe as a disastrous day at school.
The beat-up blue sedan sputtered to a stop, its engine wheezing in protest. Sam sighed heavily, gripping the steering wheel tighter than necessary, his mind swirling with frustration and disappointnt.
At first, everything seed to be going his way. Mikaela had broken up with her jerk of a boyfriend, Trent, and for a brief mont, Sam had thought this might be his chance to finally get noticed by her.
The opportunity to drive her ho after school had been a dream co true. His mind had raced with possibilities of what he could say or do to impress her, but all those thoughts evaporated the mont they arrived at her house.
He could still see it clearly in his mind—the construction crew, the brand-new Porsche, and that suited man explaining that everything had been paid for by so mysterious suitor.
Whoever this rich guy was, he had swooped in and stolen the spotlight from Sam in one fell swoop, leaving Sam feeling insignificant and inadequate.
‘How could I compete with soone like that?’ He thought dejectedly.
Sighing again, Sam finally turned off the ignition and got out of the car, his shoulders slumped with defeat. He trudged up to his house, barely acknowledging his parents, Ron and Judy Witwicky, who were in the kitchen, chatting and laughing as usual. They turned to greet him, their smiles warm and welcoming.
“Hey, Sam! How was school?” his mom asked, her tone cheerful.
Sam grunted in response, not even bothering to look up. He felt too drained to engage in small talk or pretend that everything was okay.
Ron raised an eyebrow, exchanging a concerned glance with Judy. “What’s the matter, champ?” he asked, trying to keep his tone light. “Bad day?”
“Nothing,” Sam muttered, his voice flat as he headed toward his room. He shut the door behind him a bit harder than he ant to, the sound echoing through the hallway.
Ron and Judy stood there, montarily stunned by their son’s behavior. “What’s gotten into him?” Ron asked, frowning slightly.
Judy sighed, crossing her arms as she considered the possibilities. “You think it might be the car?” she suggested. “He was really hoping for sothing a little cooler, you know? Maybe soone made fun of him for it at school.”
Ron looked genuinely puzzled. “You really think kids would do that? I an, when we were young, just having a car was a big deal. Didn’t matter what it looked like.”
“Yeah, well,” Judy said with a shrug, “tis are changing. And Sam’s school is pretty fancy compared to where we went. Maybe the kids there are a bit more... spoiled.”
Ron’s frown deepened as he thought about it. She had a point. They had grown up in a much rougher neighborhood, where a car was a luxury few could afford. Now, they lived in an upscale area, sending Sam to a school where appearances seed to matter more. “Maybe you’re right,” he admitted reluctantly.
Judy placed a comforting hand on his arm. “Maybe we should just get him a better car,” she suggested gently.
Ron looked hesitant. “He already has a car, Judy. Besides, a kid’s first car shouldn’t be too nice. It builds character.”
“I know, I know,” Judy agreed, “but you saw him. He’s not okay. If the car is causing him problems with his peers, maybe we should just get him sothing better. We have the money, after all.”
Ron sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Okay, fine. But what do we do with the car he already has?”
Judy shrugged again, clearly unconcerned. “Sell it, return it, scrap it, give it away. I don’t care. I just want our son to be happy.”
Ron sighed again, knowing she was right. “Alright, I’ll figure it out,” he said, grabbing his keys and giving her a quick peck on the lips before heading out.
…
..
.
Later that day, Ron returned ho, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. He went straight to Sam’s room, knocking once before opening the door without waiting for a response. The room was dark, the curtains drawn, and Sam lay sprawled on his bed, staring up at the ceiling.
“Can’t you knock?” Sam grumbled, glancing over at his father with a scowl.
Ron chuckled. “I did knock.” He walked over and pulled the blanket off his son. “Now, get up. I’ve got sothing to show you.”
Sam groaned, rolling over and burying his face in his pillow. “Just leave alone today, Dad.”
But Ron wasn’t taking no for an answer. “Co on, get up. Trust , you’ll want to see this.”
Grumbling under his breath, Sam reluctantly got up, following his father outside with an annoyed look on his face. As they stepped onto the front yard, Sam’s eyes widened in surprise.
There, sitting in the driveway where he parked his beat-up blue sedan earlier, was a sleek, all-black BMW 850i.
His old car was nowhere in sight.
For a mont, Sam thought his dad had bought a new car for himself. He turned to his father, a hint of annoyance in his voice. “Really, Dad? You got a new car and you’re rubbing it in my face?”
Ron chuckled again, shaking his head. “Nope, it’s not for ,” he said, a teasing grin spreading across his face. “So, do you like it?”
Sam blinked, looking back at the car, then back at his dad. “Wait… Is that mine?” he asked, a mix of disbelief and excitent in his voice.
Ron nodded, still grinning. “Yep, it’s all yours. So, what do you think? Better than that old junker?”
A huge smile spread across Sam’s face as he rushed over to the car, practically bouncing on his toes as he inspected it. “Are you serious? This is amazing! Thank you! Thank you so much, Dad!” he exclaid, his earlier disappointnt, and car, completely forgotten.
Ron walked over, holding out the keys. “Why don’t you take it for a spin? See how it feels.”
Sam eagerly took the keys, thanking his dad over and over before jumping into the driver’s seat. The engine roared to life with a satisfying purr, and Sam could hardly contain his excitent as he backed out of the driveway and sped off down the street.
Seconds later, Judy ca out onto the porch, wrapping her arms around Ron and giving him a hug. “Thank you for doing that,” she said softly. “I know you wanted him to start with sothing more modest.”
Ron smiled, returning the hug. “Yeah, well, he’ll probably crash it within a month or two, but we’ll deal with that when the ti cos,” he replied with a chuckle.
…
anwhile, Sam was already a mile away, a huge grin plastered across his face as he drove his new car. After a few horrible days, things were finally starting to look up for him. The sleek BMW handled like a dream, and he felt a surge of confidence as he zipped through the streets.
Deciding to stop and grab a drink, he pulled into a convenience store parking lot, still riding the high of his new car. As he stepped out, a blonde girl about his age approached, a look of admiration on her face.
“Hey, is this your car?” she asked, her tone filled with genuine interest.
Sam couldn’t help but smile wider, his confidence soaring even higher. “Yeah, it is,” he replied, trying to sound as casual as possible.
“Well, it’s nice,” she said with a smile, bending over to lean on his open car window. “Can I get a ride?”
“Sure, hop in,” Sam nodded, feeling a rush of excitent fill him, ‘It’s finally happening!’ He thought.
Maybe things were finally turning around for him after all!
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Elsewhere, Obadiah Stane sat in his luxurious villa, nestled in a secluded area far from prying eyes. His bald head glead under the soft lighting, and his well-grood beard frad a face marked by age and cunning.
[Insert picture of Obadiah Stane here]
The sprawling estate, surrounded by lush forests and high walls, was the perfect location for soone who valued privacy. As the interim CEO of Stark Industries, Stane had taken full advantage of the isolation to conduct business that Tony Stark and other shareholders would never approve of.
Leaning back in a plush leather chair, Stane held a phone to his ear, speaking in low, asured tones. “Yes, I understand the risks,” he said, his voice steady but firm. “But you know as well as I do that these weapons are worth every penny. The quality speaks for itself. Stark Industries doesn’t sell to just anyone.”
On the other end of the line, a high-ranking mber of the Ten Rings, a clandestine criminal and terrorist organization, spoke in a thick accent, his voice dripping with eagerness. “We’ve seen the quality, Mr. Stane. That’s why we’re willing to pay such a high price. But these off-the-books transactions must remain... discreet.”
Stane chuckled softly, a hint of amusent in his voice. “Discretion is my middle na. I assure you, no one will know where these shipnts are going or who’s receiving them. Just make sure the paynt is ready, and I’ll handle the rest.”
As they continued discussing the logistics of the next shipnt, Stane’s gaze drifted toward the large bay windows of his office, which offered a panoramic view of the surrounding hills. The sky outside was dark, filled with stars, and the peaceful quiet of the night was occasionally broken by the distant sounds of wildlife.
Suddenly, sothing caught his eye—a streak of light in the sky. “?”
At first, it seed like nothing more than a shooting star, but then there were more. Dozens of streaks, glowing brighter and brighter, were hurtling toward the earth.
Stane squinted, trying to get a better look, but his heart began to race as he realized these weren’t stars. They were moving too fast, getting larger and larger with every second.
“What the hell…?” he muttered under his breath, his voice tinged with unease.
“Is sothing wrong?” the voice on the other end of the phone asked, sensing Stane’s distraction.
Stane didn’t answer imdiately. He was too focused on the sky outside. Those weren’t shooting stars—they were sothing else. Sothing much more dangerous.
“Listen, I’ll have to call you back,” Stane said abruptly, hanging up the phone without waiting for a response. He quickly stood up, moving toward the window for a better look. His mind raced, wondering if this was so sort of attack. But who would know about this location? Who would have the ans to—
*BOOM… BOOM… BOOM…!*
A barrage of fiery projectiles crashed into the front of his estate, sending up a wave of dirt, debris, and fla.
Instinct kicked in, and Stane turned, ready to bolt for the door. But it was too late. The ground beneath him shook violently as a series of thunderous booms echoed through the villa, the windows rattling in their fras.
Stane stumbled back, falling to the ground. He hit the ground hard, the breath knocked out of him, and for a mont, all he could hear was the ringing in his ears. “…”
Slowly, the sound of crackling flas filled his senses, and he pushed himself up, coughing from the smoke that had begun to seep into the room. The air was thick with the sll of burning wood and tal.
Sitting up, Stane breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that, thankfully, the villa itself hadn’t been directly hit. The explosions had all been outside, in the front yard. He staggered to his feet, glancing out the window once more. His heart skipped a beat when he saw the state of his property. The once-manicured lawn was now a smoldering wasteland, craters filled with fire and debris.
“What in the world…” he muttered, his fear montarily replaced by curiosity. What could have caused such destruction?
He slipped on his shoes and rushed outside, his mind racing with questions. As he stepped onto the front porch, the full extent of the devastation hit him. His pristine front yard was completely destroyed, the grass and plants obliterated, and the stone pathway reduced to rubble.
But it wasn’t just the destruction that caught his attention. Erging from the smoke and flas were several massive shapes, silhouetted against the burning wreckage. As they moved closer, Stane’s eyes widened in disbelief.
They were robots—towering, chanical beings unlike anything he had ever seen. The tallest of them stepped forward, its eyes glowing a nacing red as it scanned the area. The tal behemoth turned its gaze toward Stane, who felt a chill run down his spine.
The largest of the robots, with a nacing, angular design, sneered down at him. “Did we land on a bug's nest?” it growled, its voice a low, chanical rumble that sent shivers down Stane’s spine.
The other robots behind it began to laugh, a harsh, tallic sound that echoed through the night.
Stane could feel the ground trembling beneath their weight, the heat from the fires making his skin prickle. He was frozen in place, unable to move, his mind struggling to comprehend what he was seeing.
Stane’s heart pounded in his chest, fear gripping him like a vice. “Who… What are you?” he stamred, his voice barely above a whisper.
The lead robot took a step closer, its red eyes glowing brighter as it glared down at him. “We are Decepticons,” it snarled, the word dripping with disdain. “And you, little man, have sothing we want.”
Stane swallowed hard, his mind racing with panic. He had no idea what they were talking about, but he knew one thing for sure—he was in way over his head.
“W-What do you want?”
A/N: 2337 words :) 🚨🚨
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