CHAPTER TWELVE
Decepticon camp, near Talisman’s location
“Ha! Read ‘em and weep, boys! Full house!”
Ramjet groaned as Thrust threw his cards down for him and Dirge to see. “Are you kidding me?!” the white and gray Seeker growled, tossing his remaining cards aside. “This is the third time in a row!”
“Exactly!” Thrust grinned smugly as he collected his winnings. “Just goes to show you how good I am.”
“You must be cheating. I don’t see how you can possibly be that good at Praxus Fold ‘Em.”
“Suck it up, Ramjet. Sometimes you just have to accept how much of a loser you are.”
Ramjet glanced at Dirge, who was still holding his cards and not really paying much attention to Thrust’s gloating. “He cheated, right? He has to be cheating.”
Dirge looked back at Ramjet, who braced himself for the blue Seeker to go on one of his “doom-and-gloom” diatribes. Instead, Dirge shifted his optics to look over Ramjet’s shoulder. The other Seeker turned around to see a massive, brutish bot in purple and gold approaching the three of them.
“Hey!” Ramjet called over to the newcomer. “It’s Killmaster, right? Been a while since anyone’s heard from you.”
“Is it true you used to be called ‘Murderking?’” asked Thrust. “Skywarp once told me that was your name before you changed it. I just figured he was pulling my leg….”
Killmaster said nothing as he stepped up to the three Seekers, looming over them even after they had risen from their makeshift “game table.” Behind them was the entrance to the chamber that contained the mysterious artifact known as the Talisman. It took a few seconds for Ramjet to remember that was the reason for the three of them being out here in the first place and he quickly assumed his “tough guard” persona.
“So, uh, what brings you out here?” he asked, crossing his arms. “Did Megatron put you on guard duty as well?”
“Move,” Killmaster rumbled.
“Uh, I don’t think so. Not until you answer my question.”
Without a word, Killmaster swung an arm and struck Ramjet, sending him flying into Dirge. As the two Seekers crashed to the ground, Thrust scrambled to pick up his winnings from the game and transformed into his jet mode, taking off into the sky.
“Get back here, you coward!” Ramjet screamed, but the red jet was already long gone. He struggled to get back up but stopped when Killmaster pointed his wand at him.
“If you wish to keep your privilege of existing,” the larger Decepticon growled, “then you will stay where you are.”
If Ramjet had any shred of honor, he would have made an attempt to stop Killmaster as the Warrior Elite entered the chamber to the Talisman. But because honor was such a foreign concept to him, the Seeker simply remained where he was as he watched Killmaster vanish through the entrance.
* * *
Scorponok watched from afar as Killmaster entered the chamber, having given the Warrior Elite instructions on what to do once he reached the Talisman. Scorponok was aware of Killmaster’s “wand” and how it relocated objects and people into a pocket dimension that only Killmaster had access to. He would then have Killmaster transport him into the pocket dimension as well, where he could analyze and operate on the Talisman without any interference from Megatron or the other Decepticons.
It was the perfect plan. Naturally, it would be, seeing as how it was his plan.
Once Killmaster was in, Scorponok did a quick scan of the Decepticon camp to make sure no one unwanted was around. Just to be on the safe side, he held the Magnificence in his claws and repeatedly asked it on Megatron, Starscream, or Shockwave’s whereabouts. Each time, it reassured him that they were all within Trypticon and not privy to his activities.
Scorponok couldn’t help but grin to himself. For once, things were going perfectly for him.
Of course, there was still the matter of Sari. Shatter and Dropkick had yet to report on their efforts in tracking her down, something which he was increasingly growing worried about. This told him that her powers were developing faster than he had anticipated, making her a formidable opponent even to Decepticons as skilled as Shatter or Dropkick. Not only would this make her difficult to recapture, but it would surely arouse Megatron’s interest.
He could not have that. He would not have Megatron interfere with his plans; not again. Not even the Grand Architect was going to stand in his way.
And once ultimate power was his — which it soon would be — no one would.
The Ark II
“I’ll admit, it’s not the best setup, but it’s what we have to work with,” Wheeljack said as he dropped another crate of supplies in the corner of the Ark’s command center.
“I still don’t see why we couldn’t just stay on Metroplex,” Sunstreaker commented, his face twisted slightly in disgust as he looked around the less-than-tidy room. “For one, it’s a lot more roomier there.”
“We can’t bring Metroplex too close into Earth’s orbit less Trypticon detects him,” replied Optimus Prime, standing in the center of the room as he observed the other Autobots on his team set up operations. “I understand that this is a less convenient alternative, but it is what we have to work with if we hope in accomplishing our mission effectively.”
“And just how are we gonna deal with the Decepticons when they’re on the opposite side of the globe?” asked Sideswipe.
“Leave that to me, Sideswipe,” Optimus said. “For now, continue getting things set up. I’m going to check on Teletraan-X and see if its made contact with Agent Fowler.”
“Right here, Captain: Optimus Prime!” exclaimed Teletraan-X as it zipped up to the Autobot leader’s face, startling him. “Agent: William E.H. Fowler is currently on speaker on line delta-one-alpha—”
“Please, put him on,” Optimus said, trying his best not to sound exasperated.
“Prime?” Agent Fowler’s voice crackled out from Teletraan-X’s speaker, just barely audible. “Is that you? I didn’t — -lize you were back.”
“You seem to be breaking up, Agent Fowler. What is your present location?”
“Still trying to — -gure that out myself. I’m trying to meet up with a girl named Sari, who the ‘Cons have an interest in for some reason.”
Optimus frowned behind his faceplate. “Yes, I’ve been informed of her. Do you know her last known location?”
“I just got a call from her,” Fowler replied. “She’s somewhere in California; near her school, Furman University, I think. She’s with some guy named Kicker. I don’t suppose you — are within range of there?”
“We are one state over, but I believe we are close enough to reach her in no time. I will send some of my Autobots over there as soon as possible.”
“Good. I’ll meet them there. And, Prime?”
“Yes, Agent Fowler?”
“It’s good to have you back.” Fowler’s tone was the warmest Optimus had ever head it. “Out of all you robots, I always respected you the most. After the rough time I had… it’s good to have someone I know I can trust.”
Optimus nodded, even though Fowler couldn’t see him. “Likewise. And… it’s good to be back.”
With that, the call ended and Optimus Prime turned to face the other Autobots. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were already standing to attention, wide grins on their faces.
“So!” the former said. “When do we leave?”
Furman University
“You’re sure we’ll be safe here?”
“No,” Sari admitted as she and Kicker walked onto the campus grounds, navigating their way through crowds of university students. “But it’s the only place I could think of where I know someone I can trust. I don’t know if they’ll be here, but….”
She trailed off as she scanned the crowds for any sign of Jack, Miko, or Raf. She spotted plenty of other students that she recognized, but none of them she would trust to tell them about her current situation. It might have not been a top priority to find them — she only needed to wait here long enough for Fowler or someone to pick her up — but she still wanted to find them so she could assure them that she was all right.
Well, “all right” being the operative term.
“Maybe they’re in the library?” Kicker asked, pointing at the building in question.
“Maybe,” Sari murmured, still surveying the crowds. “I suppose we might as well check there.”
Making their way towards the school library, Sari noticed a blond white girl standing on the front steps. They locked eyes and Sari immediately felt a sense of discomfort fall over her, shifting at the blond’s intense gaze.
“Hi, Sari,” the young woman said, her tone neutral.
“Um, hi,” Sari said, trying not to sound too uneasy. “Sorry, do I know you?”
“My name’s Alice. You’re a friend of Jack’s, aren’t you?”
“I am, actually. Is he here?”
“He said you had gone missing,” Alice went on, deflecting the question. “He’s been pretty worried about you.”
“I can understand why. So, is he here?”
“I haven’t seen him. He might be at his dorm.” Alice’s eyes briefly flickered to Kicker before she began walking down the steps. “Well, I suppose I’ll catch you later.”
Sari watched the other girl leave and was about to speak to her again when Kicker gently tugged on her arm. She looked at him and saw a strange look in his eyes as he motioned his head to the library doors. Taking the hint, Sari remained quiet as she and Kicker entered the library and found an unoccupied study corner to sit in, with no one around to overhear them.
“Do you know that girl?” Sari asked as she sat across from Kicker.
Kicker shook his head. “No, but something about her rubbed me the wrong way. The way she was looking at you, and at me… it just made me feel a little suspicious.”
“I’ve never met her,” Sari said quietly. “I mean, I think Jack mentioned something about having a crush on a girl in one of his classes, and she kinda looked the way he’d described her, but… I don’t see why she would have an interest in me. Or not tell me where Jack was.”
“Something’s definitely up, I’ll tell you that much. Whether it’s something to be worried about or just typical college drama, is another question.”
Sari couldn’t help but smirk. “The two aren’t mutually exclusive.”
Kicker didn’t smile back, glancing back at the doors as if he was expecting Alice to walk through them. At that moment, Sari’s phone pinged and she brought it out to read the new message.
“Fowler says that the Autobots are coming to pick me up,” she told Kicker. “I just need to tell him where we’re at.”
“We should leave,” Kicker said, suddenly standing up.
Sari looked up at him, frowning. “Why?”
Before he could answer her, the doors to the library swung open as Alice stormed back in… only this time, her appearance had changed drastically. Her eyes were glowing blue while her blond hair whirled around her head, as if being blown by a powerful wind. Her hands had split up into different segments, exposing mechanical parts beneath the skin, as orbs of energy hovered in her palms. Sari and Kicker barely had time to duck as Alice threw the orbs at them and vaporized the spot where they had been sitting.
As debris fell around her, Sari whipped her head to look at Kicker, who was already suiting up. “Is this the ‘one who got loose?’” she asked as she did the same.
“Only one way to find out,” Kicker muttered, unsheathing his energy sword as Alice propelled herself into the air and lunged at the two techno-organics.
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