Transformers Regenerated: Lost Light III, Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR

--Cybertron, Alyon, the past--

    "Rodimus, Brainstorm's--"

    "I know. We saw him." Rodimus sighed as he looked back towards the others. Rung had just finished transporting the last of the sparks and everyone was ready to part ways. "Do you know where he's jumped to?"

    "Let me check," Perceptor said over the Time Phone. After a moment, he responded, "A hundred years from your current time: Cycle 8214, in Polyhex."

    "Got it. We'll be on our way."

    After ending the call, Rodimus returned to the others and stepped up to Magnum. "I suppose we'll be on our way now; we've got a rogue Autobot to catch."

    "No kidding," Magnum said as he offered his hand to Rodimus. "I wish you good luck again, and here's to hoping our paths cross again."

    Rodimus simply smiled as he shook Magnum's hand before doing the same with Padlock and the others. The rest of the Time Team proceeded to do the same, with Chromedome being the last. Once all five Elite Guardsmen had had their memories wiped of the whole encounter, the time machine activated again and the travelers were off.

--Cybertron, Polyhex, 1,600 years ago--

    "Man, can you believe it? This is my first stakeout! I've always wanted to be on a stakeout and here I am on a stakeout and--"

    "Dion?"

    "Yeah, Whirlwind?"

    "Shut up."

    The orange and blue mech huffed to himself. "Sorry. Just... nerves."

    "I understand, but this is supposed to be a stealth mission," Whirlwind replied. "'Stealth' as in 'quiet.' You talking your face off doesn't constitute as quiet."

    Dion nodded as he slumped down. "You're right. I'll shut up."

    Not a moment had passed when the young Autobot broke his promise. "So, any activity yet?"

    "Not yet." Leaning against the rooftop, Whirlwind lowered a magnification visor over her optics as she surveyed the abandoned warehouse down below. "I'm starting to think the info Wheezel gave us is--"

    Before she could finish her sentence, she caught a flash of light emitting from the building. Whirlwind immediately got to her feet and reached for her comlink.

    "Commander? This is Whirlwind. I just saw a flash of light at the warehouse."

    "So did we. Lockout and I are going to go investigate. You and Dion stay put."

    "Understood. And, commander?"

    "Yes?"

    "Be careful."

    "Heh. I'll try."

*  *  *

    "Forget Rodion; this is where memory lane really begins."

    "You lived in Polyhex?" Chromedome asked.

    "I was born in Polyhex," Whirl said as he led Chromedome and Rewind through the deserted streets of the city, scouting out for their quarry. "This was also where I ran my watchmaking business."

    "You were a watchmaker?"

    "It was back when I had hands, obviously. After I got bored with the Aerial Corps, I opened up a business right here in Polyhex."

    "What happened?" Rewind asked.

    "Well, a hundred years prior, some of the local criminal efforts demanded a cut of my profits. When I refused, they sicced the Heavies on me and trashed my business. I was left destitute, unsure what to do with my life... until one of the High Council's enforcers approached me with a job."

    "So you were one of their thugs," Chromedome said bitterly. "How am I not surprised."

    "I didn't enjoy it, believe it or not," Whirl retorted. "Even I have lines that I won't ever cross. And when I refused to do one job... they used the empurata ritual on me."

    "Wait," Rewind said. "You mean the High Council were the ones who made you a cyclops?"

    "You think I'd do this to myself?" Whirl snapped at him. "Anyway, I eventually got myself a job in the Rodion Security Force before ending up on the Wreckers-- and for once in my life, I actually found myself feeling happy. Then Springer gave me the boot and--"

    The blue Autobot suddenly stopped in his tacks, his single optic staring straight ahead. There, at the end of the street, was an old, derelict warehouse, standing on its very last hinges.

    "Memory lane," Whirl murmured to himself. "Taken quite literally."

*  *  *

    Lockout moved carefully on his servos as he and his commander approached the abandoned warehouse. He could hear what sounded like movement coming from inside, as well as what he thought was a gun cocking. He glanced at Optronix, who had his optics trained on a side door.

    "When I give the signal, we move in."

    Lockout nodded as he readied his blaster rifle. Optronix then began counting down from five; when he reached zero, Lockout kicked the door and charged in. Before he could even demand to see any hands up in the air, a plasma bolt shot directly into his chest and he fell to the floor.

    "Lockout!" Optronix cried. He charged in after his comrade and fired at the assailant, only to receive two shots to the chest.

    As the Autobot commander collapsed as well, Brainstorm slowly walked up to him and aimed a gun at his head....

*  *  *

    Upon hearing the sound of gunfire, Whirl and the other two hurried towards the warehouse, while Chromedome radioed Rodimus and the rest. Just as they reached the building however, a shout sounded from above and all three Autobots looked up to see a green and blue femme descending from a rooftop, followed shortly by an orange and blue mech.

    "Don't move a piston," the former said as she brandished a pair of blades. "State your business here."

    "We heard gunshots," Chromedome said. "We came here to investigate."

    "Civilians have no business in--"

    "We're special ops. We have every business."

    The femme eyed them carefully. "We already have the situation under control."

    Another gunshot rang from the building.

    "Evidently not," Whirl said wryly.

    Gritting her dental plates, the green Autobot brushed past them and barged into the warehouse, with Chromedome and the rest close behind her.

    Inside, they found two mechs splayed out on the floor-- Chromedome recognized one of them as Optronix-- and Brainstorm standing over the both of them, a gun aimed at the future Megatron's head. Upon noticing the new arrivals, Brainstorm drew a second gun and fired it at them.

    The green Autobot dodged the attack before launching herself at the rogue scientist. The two collided and went tumbling to the floor, allowing Optronix to get back to his feet. His optics immediately fell on Whirl.

    "You," he muttered.

    "Me," Whirl said. "What, have we met?"

    "I thought I arrested you a few deca-cycles ago."

    Whirl's mind raced for a response. "Uh, day release. High-ups are short-handed at the moment. They need someone that no one will miss if something bad happens."

    Before Optronix could say anything, Dion ran past them and towards Brainstorm, who had Whirlwind trapped in a head-lock. Deploying a pair of arm-mounted laser blades, he lunged at the mad scientist and slashed him across the shoulder. Releasing Whirlwind, Brainstorm retaliated by grabbing Dion by the neck and hoisting him off his feet. The rogue Autobot then threw him into a wall with enough force to knock him offline.

    Optronix cried out his comrade's name as Brainstorm picked Dion's body back up. The Elite Guardsman was about to run to Dion's rescue when Brainstorm activated his briefcase and vanished in a flash of light.

    Not long after, Rodimus and the rest of the team came running into the warehouse. Upon seeing Optronix and his teammates-- but no sign of Brainstorm-- Rodimus frowned.

    "Is this a bad time?"