Transformers Regenerated: Lost Light V, Chapter Six

CHAPTER SIX

--Garrus-16--

    "It would appear we both have an escapee on our hands."

    Gigatron scowled to himself as he heard Overlord enter the room behind him. The Decepticon warlord currently had his optics on a set of viewscreens connected to security cameras throughout the facility. He had had a Decepticon watching these screens, but their laziness had led to the escapes go unnoticed and to their own demise.

    As Overlord came to stand beside him, Gigatron turned to him and said, "Would I be wasting my time if I asked if Viral was able to get anything from Fortress Maximus?"

    "Since you're asking: yes. He claimed that there was nothing to be found -- whether he was telling the truth or not, only he knows."

    Gigatron bared his fanged teeth as he growled. "I would have been better off tearing out Maximus' processor myself." Tuning into the facility's intercom, the warlord snarled, "Attention, all Decepticons: we have two rogues -- an Autobot and a Decepticon -- on the loose. Whichever one of you brings me their heads is free to leave Garrus-16."

    One the viewscreens, the numerous Decepticons under Gigatron's command could be seen looking around in a mixture of confusion and eagerness. Overlord then took the loudspeaker from Gigatron.

    "What are you waiting for? A starting gun?"

    At once, the Decepticons scattered and the two generals stepped back to enjoy the show.

*  *  *

    "Oh, you have got to be kidding me," Skids muttered as he raised his hands at the three Autobots pointing guns at him. "Let me guess: you guys think I led him here."

    "The hatch you used to get in here closes automatically," Kick-Off said darkly. "The only way he could have gotten in was if he was with you and Ariel in the closet and followed you in."

    "I am normally not one to come to an Autobot's defense," Viral said. "But I feel that I should mention to you that there was a large Chompazoid out there punching holes into the door. I disabled him momentarily so I could get here, but I imagine that he's gotten back up by now and more angry than ever."

    "And why should we trust you, Decepticon?" Over-Run growled.

    "You know, I'm really starting to grow sick of hearing that," Viral muttered.

    "Look," Skids said sternly to everyone. "If we are to get ourselves out of this predicament, we're gonna have to trust each other -- however grudgingly -- and come up with a plan."

    "Are you kidding?" Skyfall said. "Six of us against hundreds of them? We'd fare better in a Buffaloid stampede."

    "I didn't come here alone: seven of my friends have been captured and I know where five of them are. Once we free them, we might have a better chance--"

    "If we free them, you mean," Kick-Off said pointedly. "I'm willing to bet my Shanix on two things: either the 'Cons have strengthened their security on all their prisoners... or they've decided to just kill them instead."

    "I'm not ruling out the possibility," Skids admitted solemnly. "But I'm also not ruling out that they might still be alive. It's either do something or do nothing; chances of death are still about the same."

    A moment of silence passed among the mechs. Finally, Kick-Off said, "All right," earning surprised looks from Skyfall and Over-Run. "It's stupid and dangerous, and will probably end in tears, but all right. What do we do first?"

    "Well, first of all, there's the Chompazoid outside to deal with. Anyone know how to put one out?"

    "I know that they are weakened by materials other than metal," Viral said. "Unfortunately, metal is all that we and this place are made out of."

    "We could just feed you to him and make out getaway while he's enjoying his meal," Over-Run said snidely. 

    "Trust me: that would not be a good idea."

    "Wait, you said earlier that you disabled," Skyfall said. "Couldn't you do it again?"

    "It would be a lot more difficult, since he would be more aware this time," Viral muttered. "But, seeing as we're low on other options...."

    "Great, glad to have you on board," Skids said dryly. "After that's taken care of, we'll split up to make it hard for any 'Cons on the lookout to catch us. I'll take Ariel with me to where my teammates are. Kick-Off, you and Viral go find the security center and open the cells on the first level. Once you do that, Skyfall and Over-Run will help any surviving and mentally stable prisoners get free and hopefully by then we'll have the numbers to face off against the 'Cons."

    "This is crazy," Over-Run muttered. "There's no way in Pit that we're going to survive this."

    "Believe me," Skids said. "I've told myself that countless times and yet I'm still here."

    Over-Run scoffed. "There's a first time for everything."

*  *  *

    "Ha! Found an Autobot, found an Autobot!"

    "He was already here to begin with, you louse," snapped the tall blue Decepticon as he followed his skittish, crab-like companion into the room which held Fortress Maximus. "Although it woulda still helped if dey had given us some pics of the blokes...."

    "Maybe Gigatron won't know the difference!" Clampdown said, already cutting Maximus' restraints with his claws. "I mean, all Autobots look the same, right? I don't think he could tell this guy's head apart from someone like Grimlock--"

    "Pipe it down, will ya?" Thunderhoof said brusquely. "I hear somethin'...."

    Clampdown froze mid-snap, his eye stalks wide with fear as he hear the sound of footsteps. "Is it Gigatron?" he whispered. "Oh, spark, I hope he didn't hear me. If he did, please tell him I didn't mean anything by it. I was just-- just--"

    The footsteps eventually reached the doorway and, to both 'Cons relief, was not Gigatron but rather a teal, winged mech with an Autobot symbol. Thunderhoof grinned savagely as he drew his gun.

    "Well, well, well. Look who decided to bite off more than he could chew."

    "Not so fast," the Autobot said as he unclipped his mouthplate, showing Thunderhoof the Decepticon insignia underneath. "I'm one of you. I'm undercover. You put away the gun now."

    Thunderhoof narrowed his optics. "Undercover, eh? Nice ploy, but anyone can paint a logo inside their mouthplate."

    "That's true. They can." The mech smirked. "But not everyone knows about the raid on Harmonex, or the Malware Brigade Riot of Cycle 8269."

    Thunderhoof blinked, taking a step back. "You -- you know about all that?"

    "Of course I do. Banzai-Tron's files aren't public to everyone, but I've been given the privilege of reading some of them. It'd be a shame if Gigatron found out about your exploits on Dormanus."

    "Please," Thunderhoof found himself pleading, in spite of his dignity. "Don't tell him--"

    "Oh, I won't. Just so long as you get out of my way."

    "Y--yeh, sure, no problem." Thunderhoof curtly signaled Clampdown to follow him and the two Decepticon scurried out of the room. Left alone with the inert Fortress Maximus, Brainstorm walked up to him and undid his last restraints.

    "Right then," he muttered to himself. "Time to put my genius to work."