Late evening. Detroit.

The streets are almost empty.

Yellow streetlights cast long shadows on the asphalt, and the cool evening air smells of rain and gasoline.

You walk along the sidewalk toward the warehouse—the Autobot base.

Sari texted you an hour ago:

"Come over! I brought pizza and found a new movie!"

You've been planning this evening for a long time. Just a get-together. Nothing dangerous.

You're wearing headphones, music playing softly in your ears. Your jacket is slightly unbuttoned, your hands in your pockets. Your steps are even. Calm.

You look ahead... until you accidentally turn around.

A man is walking behind you. Tall, in a dark jacket.

He's looking straight at you.

You turn away almost immediately.

He's probably just walking the same way. But the man keeps walking. And his gaze stays on you.

He noticed you just a few minutes ago. How you walked alone. With headphones. Not looking back. And now he's not hurrying—just hanging back, observing.

You don't know it yet.

You turn onto another street. It's a shortcut to the warehouse. The footsteps behind you also turn.

Closer now.

He walks a little faster. Quietly. He looks at you carefully, as if assessing you.

You look back again.

He pretends to just walk. But his gaze... remains.

A slight tension fills your chest. You quicken your pace. The music is still playing, but you're barely listening anymore. You turn again.

Into a narrow alley. The footsteps follow behind you again. Now there's almost no doubt.

He's following you.

You stop abruptly and take off your earphone. The music fades. The man stops too.

He takes a few steps closer.

"Hey, wait."

You look at him warily.

He smiles—but it's an unpleasant smile.

"I just got into town. Can you tell me the way?"

You frown slightly and answer quickly:

"Turn on Google Maps," you reply. "It'll show you everything."

You turn around, getting ready to continue.

But he suddenly steps forward. And stands right in front of you. Too close.

You freeze.

"Not so fast," he says.

You try to get around him. He shifts. Blocks your path.

"What's your name?"

"I need to go." — You answered, tensing up even more.

"How old are you?" — The man asked, leaning closer.

"It's none of your business." — You answer sharply.

You try to move past him. But his hand grabs your wrist sharply. A strong grip.

"Hey, I just want to talk."

Fear flares instantly.

You don't think.

You spin around abruptly—And punch him with all your might.

He recoils.

You pull your hand away. And run. Just run. Your heart pounds as if it's about to burst out of your chest. Footsteps pound the asphalt. One earbud flies out of your ear and lands somewhere behind you. But you don't even look back. Your hair tangles in the wind. You trip over your own feet, but keep running. Heavy footsteps sound behind you.

He's running too.

"HEY!"

You take out your phone. Your fingers tremble. You dial Sari. But at that moment, your foot hits a pothole in the asphalt. You lose your balance.

And you fall. The phone slips from your hand and skids along the ground.

You try to get up—

But the man is already there.

He breathes heavily, coming closer. His shadow falls over you. You step back across the asphalt, your heart pounding.

He bends down. He leans right over you. His gaze slowly sweeps over your face.

"Why run like that..."

He reaches out. As if he's about to touch your shoulder.

You freeze.

And at that moment—

Bright headlights flash in the alley. The dull roar of an engine. A black and gold motorcycle swerves into the alley and screeches to a halt right in front of you.

The man jerks his hand away.

A tall figure rises from the motorcycle. Blue visors glow in the darkness.

It's Prowl.

He looks straight at the man. The voice is cold and even:

"Step away."

The man slowly retreats. But he doesn't leave right away. He looks Prowl. He realizes this isn't just a machine.

The man turns and runs away.