CHAPTER FIVE
--Autobot City--
The Lost Light was well on its journey now, having become another small light in the black sky. It struck Ultra Magnus as odd to be watching it leave rather than be on board. But he knew he had a duty here, and he would fulfill it to the end.
Once the ship's light had blinked out as it jumped to hyperspace, Magnus turned his attention to the white and red Autobot standing with him.
"You didn't request to go along with them?"
Drift shook his head. "Luna One is tempting, but I see finding Rodimus as a far more important matter."
Magnus nodded. "I agree. Which reminds me: I should probably check with Jetfire to see if he's found anything."
"You don't think he's... that anything's happened to him, do you?" Drift asked, suddenly quiet.
Magnus frowned, his shoulders stiffening. "No. I don't think that. If only for the fact that I refuse to accept such an outcome."
"And if he is?"
Ultra Magnus said nothing as he strode back into the city.
* * *
"Full house. Read 'em and weep."
"No!" Grimlock slammed his fists on the table as a smirking Barricade leaned back in his seat. "Decepticon cheat! Me Grimlock best player ever!"
"Sorry, Grim, but that was a fair play," Ironhide said, leaning over the gaming table to look at Barricade's cards. "And I should know. I played with the best at Praxus Fold 'Em back in my days with the Primal Vanguard."
"Him Grimlock Primal Vanguard too!" roared Slag. "All Dinobots Primal Vanguard!"
"Yeah, all Dinobots!" piped the novice Slash, who was far too young to have been with the Primal Vanguard.
"Me Snarl think Ironhide being buddy-buddy with Decepticon," growled Snarl.
Ironhide scowled. "Ah, stuff it, ya' Dinobutts. Just suck it up and be the better bot. Barricade won fair and--"
"Me Grimlock better than all bots!" Grimlock rose from his seat, looming over all the players. "Especially Decepticons!"
"Just be glad you're not playing against Lugnut," Barricade said. "He would've demolished you... in more ways than one."
"Is that a threat?" Swoop flapped his wings. "Me Swoop take that as threat!"
"Me Sludge say we return favor!" Sludge advocated.
Ironhide nudged Barricade with his elbow. "I advise you get out of here before things get messy."
"Sound advice." Barricade slunk out of his seat. "You sure you have this handled?"
"Please, I've been handlin' 'em for two millennia. Now get goin'."
As Barricade took his leave, and Ironhide attempted to pacify Grimlock, the fourth player at the table quietly set down his cards, revealing a winning hand. Standing over his shoulder, Scorponaut gave Gnashteeth an odd look.
"Why didn't you play that, boss?" the Predacon asked.
"It would not be appropriate to draw so much attention just yet, Scorponaut." Gnashteeth steepled his hands, watching Autobot and Dinobot alike squabble. "We are fortunate enough to be allowed freedom in this city after the role we played in Onyx Prime's machinations. Let us not bite the hand that feeds us just yet."
Scorponaut nodded, although he evidently didn't quite understand. "When would you think would be the time for us to make our move?"
"Soon, Scorponaut." A white grin flashed on Gnashteeth's purple face. "Very soon."
* * *
"Have either of you seen Evac?"
Downshift and Hound both turned in their seats to face Stormshot, drinks in hand.
"He's over there with Crosswise," the latter said, nodding to a booth in the corner of the bar which held the two bots in question.
"I wouldn't bother them though," Downshift said, smirking. "I think Crosswise is finally making the moves."
Stormshot sighed. "No, I mean-- I'm talking about my Evac. Short, blue, turns into a car...."
"Oh, him!" Hound said. "Yeah, he was on the Lost Light, wasn't he? I always meant to ask... I mean, I know names can get repeated among bots, but Evac -- helicopter Evac -- is like The Bot. He single-handedly bested Starscream and his Seekers on Skyrus Six. Won the Third Vorsk Offensive. Alternity Today named him Sexiest Bot of the--"
"Okay," Stormshot interjected. "I get it. Can you just tell me where he is?"
"I think I saw him wandering outside his hab suite," Downshift said. "He looked a bit out of it though. Like he was in a trance."
Stormshot frowned. "How long ago was this?"
"About an hour ago. Why?"
Stormshot did not answer, as she was already dashing out of the bar.
* * *
Follow me, child. That's it.
Evac felt himself shake violently as he stepped closer to the door, the hand which held the gun wobbling dangerously. The voice continued to coo in his mind, edging him onward with its words.
You'll be a hero, Evac. Everyone will cheer your name. Your likeness will be among the likes of Optimus Prime himself.
Evac bit his lip, trying to keep himself from breaking down. "Why me?" he whispered.
Greatness comes from the least likeliest of heroes. Orion Pax was once a records keeper, after all....
Slowly nodding, Evac finally made it up to the door. It was locked but the voice had already given him the entry code. Shakily, he began to put in the twelve-digit code. As he pressed down the fourth digit, he heard hurried footsteps coming from down the hall and around the corner. Panicking, he froze, only for the voice to speak up.
Hurry, Evac! Don't let others take the glory!
Without thinking, Evac finished the input. As the door slid open, Stormshot emerged from around the corner.
"Evac! Stop!"
Evac hardly heard her as his sights were already set on the white and black Autobot rising from his desk. Prowl stared back at him with a deep-set frown.
"How did you get in here?" he asked.
Now, Evac, the voice urged him.
Before he knew it -- without even realizing he had pulled the trigger -- the bullet had already left its chamber and had found its way between Prowl's optics....
* * *
Gnashteeth noticed the light flash on his wrist. Grinning, he lifted his gaze to Scorponaut.
"It's time."
The other Predacon blinked. "Already? That didn't take long."
"Give Tarantulas some credit, Scorponaut. For all his... eccentricities, he is efficient." Rising from his seat, Gnashteeth converted to his dinosaur form, knocking over the game table and startling the bar's patrons. Red eyes flashing, the purple tyrannosaurus bared its fangs.
"Predacons... terrorize!"
* * *
Stormshot watched in horror as Evac's head imploded, replaced now by the monstrous arachnid form of Tarantulas. Tossing the headless Autobot aside, the Predacon then proceeded to stalk over to Prowl's own deactivated body.
"I'm sorry it had to end like this, Prowl," Tarantulas murmured, sounding almost genuinely sorrowful. "If only you had seen things my way, then perhaps things would have been different. Now, however..."
Quietly, Stormshot drew her gun and began to take aim.
"...now beings the reckoning."
Above her, the ceiling was torn asunder and hell rained down.
No comments:
Post a Comment