Transformers Regenerated: Unicron Saga VII, Chapter Nine

CHAPTER NINE

   After mowing down the Vehicon troopers that they encountered in the corridors leading to the prison sector, the seven Wreckers finally reached the prisons and blasted down the door, rushing in with their weapons, ready to bring down any guards inside.

   However, there were none. And pretty much all of the cells were empty.

   Crosshairs frowned. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

   "Quiet," Kup said as he stepped into the cell block. "Mindset's bound to be here."

   The Wreckers slowly and cautiously began to walk down the row of cells, looking into each one only to find it empty. After about five minutes, they finally reached the end of the room with the hundredth cell, with absolutely no sign of Mindset, or anyone for that matter.

   "Maybe they're holding him someplace else," Flareup said. "A less obvious place."

   "Am I the only one here who thinks this is a trap?" Scattorshot asked. "Because it really feels like-"

   Before he could finish, a bolt of lightning brushed past him and hit the floor. All seven Wreckers looked up to see a large, robotic insect clinging to the ceiling.

   "Watch your step, Autobots, Autobots," it chirped. "You wouldn't want to get struck by lightning, lightning!"

   As the Wreckers raised their Targetmaster weapons, Crosshairs contorted his face in disgust. "What the Pit is that?"

   "We are Insecticons," cackled a second voice as another insect zipped over them. "We are just the start of our race's next stage of evolution."

   "More like devolution," Kup muttered. "What do you want from us?"

   "It depends," said a third voice. "On a scale of one to ten, how willing are you to surrender?"

   "Negative five, ya bug freaks," Bulkhead said. "I hope you guys are ready to get scrapped!"

   All three Insecticons laughed harshly. "Bold words, Autobot, Autobot," the first, echoing voice said. "Let's see if you can live up to them, them."

   At once, the Insecticons leaped from their places and lunged at the Wreckers. The flying one transformed into robot mode and fired a spinning blade from its Gear Shredder at Kup. It scratched the veteran's arm, causing him to released Recoil from his grip and fall to his knees.

   Bulkhead came to his leader's aid by charging towards the Insecticon and slamming his wrecking mace into the black and purple bug's chest, sending him flying into the wall. Before Bulkhead could help Kup up to his feet, the green giant was suddenly hit in the back by an energy bolt, which was powerful enough to bring him down as well.

   Just as the second Insecticon was about to fire another bolt from the pair of pincers on his back, Flareup fired at him with her crossbow and Firebolt at the same time. The bug responded by raising his right hand and zapping her with a low-pulse bolt, putting her into a slight daze. The Insecticon then began to crackle with energy all around his body before releasing it in one large blast.

   The wave was large enough to make contact with everything in the room: the Wreckers, the other two Insecticons, the cell doors... everything was either pushed back or torn apart by the small storm that had been unleashed.

   When it had all settled, the tall Insecticon flier shrieked, "Shrapnel, you idiot! You could have killed us all!"

   "But I didn't and wasn't intending to, Kickback, Kickback!" the echoing one retorted. "I can control my powers, you know, know."

   "Whatever," Kickback growled. "Bombshell, use your cerebro-shells to incapacitate them!"

   The third and largest of the Insecticons nodded and lowered a turret on his head. Aiming at Crosshairs, it fired a tiny bullet which lodged itself into the Autobot's forehead. His mouth falling agape, the Wrecker became immobile, rooted to the ground.

   Before the others could comprehend what had happened, Bombshell proceeded to perform the same attack on Seaspray, Flareup, and Scattorshot. Brainstorm fumbled for Spoilsport only to be rendered motionless as well. Bulkhead followed in quick succession and soon, only Kup remained.

   As the three Insecticons stood over him, he scowled at them. "What are you waiting for? Why not just end it and kill us?"

   Kickback grinned. "Oh, no. General Thunderwing has plans for you and your pals."

   Kup raised an eyebrow. "Wait... Thunderwing knew we were coming?"

   "Perhaps, perhaps," Shrapnel said. "But that is none of our concern, concern."

   "Indeed," Bombshell said as he aimed his turret. "I suppose we shall all find out in due time."

*  *  *

   The Insecticons had succeeded in their task. The Wreckers were now captured.

   Thunderwing slowly strode down the corridor leading to the lab, followed by Airachnid, Scalpel, and Rossum. The latter, as always, was rambling insistently with his scientific jargon, but the general paid him little heed. He had plenty of other things on his mind.

   "Why these Autobots?" Airachnid had asked him earlier when the Wreckers had been initially captured. "Why not someone more experienced like Impactor or Grimlock?"

   "Because," Thunderwing had replied, "if these experiments fail, we would not have wasted a valuable subject."

   The said experiment which he was about to perform on the captured Wreckers was to be unlike anything he and his crew had ever done. It had nothing to do with mutations or combinations. No, this was something more.

   Coming to a stop before the lab's closed door, Thunderwing turned to face the others, promptly silencing Rossum's chatter.

   "Airachnid, do you have the substance?"

   The Arachnicon smirked, holding up a safely-sealed container.

   "Rossum, do you have the control?"

   The blue and orange-red scientist nodded, holding up a small remote.

   Thunderwing then grinned. "Looks like we're all set. Shall we, my friends?"

   With that, he turned and opened the door, striding into the lab where the seven, unconscious Wreckers were being held. He held out his hand, which Airachnid placed the container in, and he opened it. His golden face gleamed in the violet light of the substance within.

   The general chuckled. "And so begins the evolution."