The Veiled Threat Read Online Free Page A

his kind. When they choose an alternative mode, they duplicate it exactly.”
    A hand went up from one of the civilian NEST members near the back. “It’s clear to everyone in this room where you’re going with this, Ariella, but how do we know for certain that it
is
Starscream?”
    Instead of replying, Ariella let one of the senior military officers supply the answer.
    “We’ve checked and rechecked flight paths from every base with access to that part of the continent.” The man in air force blue spoke assuredly. “Even equipped with extra wing tanks, there are no F-22s capable of overflying the indicated region from any base that we know of. In fact, the nearest F-22 squadron is based right here on Diego Garcia.” He smiled thinly. “To the best of my knowledge, Starscream is not among them.”
    Nobody laughed. Claiming “to the best of one’s knowledge” where Transformers were concerned was insufficient assurance. On several occasions while visiting the installations on the atoll’s main island, Lennox had found himself looking at passing vehicles or parked aircraft. Even up close, it was often impossible to tell a Transformer from a human-made machine.
    Thus far NEST’s isolation had protected it, and secondary security was as tight as humans and Autobots working together could make it—but it was not perfect. It was on the morning Lennox had found himself eyeing an obstinate coffeemaker and reaching hesitantly for his sidearm that he had decided to seek therapy. It had been a great help.
    But he still found himself looking at every vehicle and every machine he encountered, military or civilian, with a jaundiced eye.
    Kaminari spoke up. “This is, however, still a guess, albeit an educated one. While I admit that the indicated speed at which the suspect craft was traveling precludes its being a civilian aircraft, there are many countries that operate illegal overflights of combat jets in that part of the continent.” She indicated the man who had voiced the initial uncertainty. “We cannot be sure.”
    Ariella nodded. “Agreed. Additional verification is required. NEST is taking no chances with this.” Her gaze, which was anything but grandmotherly, roamed the room. “Accordingly, all three of the Autobots who survived the clash in America will accompany Captain Lennox, Sergeant Epps, and operatives Andronov and Ishihara on a mission designed to establish the validity of this report. You will be joined by two of our recent arrivals, Autobots Salvage and Beachbreak. Since all Autobots will be traveling in their transformed terrestrial mode, Salvage will transport Beachbreak in his Jet Ski mode.”
    “Seems like quite an expedition to confirm or deny a rumor,” one of the other officers commented.
    Even before he had finished, the wall behind him dropped into the floor. Revealed on the other side was a much larger room equipped with a bigger wall screen. It displayed the same map of Africa. Heads and bodies shifted and turned to regard the single occupant of the adjoining conference room.
    “We will not be journeying merely to substantiatean observation.” Optimus Prime’s head and upper body filled much of the available viewing space while the rest of his enormous form remained out of sight below floor level. “We intend not merely to locate Starscream, but to eliminate the threat he poses to this world.” Appreciative murmurs greeted this announcement.
    Another of the civilians spoke up. “Governments in that region tend to complain when their territorial integrity is violated, even if done with the intent of defending their citizens.”
    “Hence the need to travel with the secrecy we have all learned to observe.” Ariella’s gaze went immediately to a certain officer. “Captain Lennox, do you think you and Sergeant Epps can manage to be credible noncombatants?”
    The two men exchanged a glance. “If Optimus can mimic a Detroit diesel,” Lennox told her, “Epps and I can transform