-fellas' good evening" I said with a gesture and they gestured back
The doors opened and the masses were in front of Grim as usual at this hour. I make my way to the back walking around them and not through them or near them. At the back I find Slag with his defiant look and his arms crossed almost scoffing with his body language. Sludge was at his side serene looking, eyes down at a tablet and mumbling to himself. I just walked by and took position in the middle pushing them for some space. Slag didn't even bothered but Sludge moved without taking his eye of the tablet. In a mocking way I tried best to imitate Slag, but I actually scoffed accidentally and that made him chuckle.
-you are ok, kid? Where were ya?" He said nudging my head with his hand
annoyingly. I struggle to get it off and nudge him with my elbow
-I think I hit the mother load" I whispered excitedly
-what are you saying?" Sludge whispered back interested
-I heard some insecticons taking about some big arrival, and how they were forced to open their reserves greet however is coming
-forced? Wait you don't mean...?" Sludge was cut off before he could utter the name
-Who cares who's coming, we need that energon, are you telling the boss or are we doing this solo?" Slag's voice sounded like a war veteran condemned to spend his days telling stories and finally getting the chance to die well and excitingly
-I'm thinking on it, but I think you better let me have this one"
-and what? no fun for us? Not a chance, young lady. Either we do it alone or we don't at all. And judging by our reserves we must" said Sludge
-fine I'll tell him, I just need to... a big outside explosion cut me off.
The building rocked side to side and little pieces of debris and dust started falling from the ceiling. Grimlock stood from his throne, expecting an explanation or report of what was happening. The three of us rushed outside the room and through the maze followed by him and some others. We went to the control room were the sentries and cams were controlled. The room was big enough for us only, the red alert lights were flickering on and off making things a bit difficult to see. The boy in charge of monitoring the monitors was laying on the floor without his head and by the looks of the scene not a single energon drop on the floor. Weapons out and alert everyone scanned the room.
-Misty,check the monitors and tells what's problem" Gim said
-on it" I answered as I pushed the corpse off the chair and took his place.
The monitors were flickering too and the controls were scraped, but in a second a glimpse of nothing flashed through them.
-well? What's going on?" Slag demanded impatiently
-nothing" I answered perplexed and stammering "Nothing's out there"
-what?! Check again, explosions don't happen out of nothing" Slag said
-there's literally nothing" another explosion rocked the building, this time disabling the monitors completely.
-Contact Swoop and Snarl, get them out there with some soldiers, Sludge get the people safe, Slag go with him, Misty tell me what's going on in the system" at his orders everybody scrambled to follow them.
I growled at the monitor and hit it in the side and it barely went online. I borrowed the controls from the other one and used them to control the one barely online. Tapped some keys, some buttons and footage of outside showed with various cracked lines.
-we got insecticons and...it's the freaking Forge" I said with anger and a close fist
-what forge doing here and with insecticons?
-I don't know but I don't think is for our energon supply, they have their own
-how do you know?
-I was gonna tell you about it but this happened, I heard some insecticons...
-you went to their grounds! You disobeyed orders! You know...
-I know, I know but we need the energon and I heard the have a whole reserve of it and they are opening their gates to a visitor
-Shockwave" the name rumble through his systems with a serene rage, a rage that has gone from outrageous to serial killer serene. Scary.
Suddenly Swoop's voice came through the coms.
-we need help boss, these idiots are getting reinforcements and are about to flood the place
-then don't let them!" Grim ordered with anger and authority " I'm coming down"
We went down but on the way a hole exploded on the floor ahead of us. Grim readied his weapons, I mine, and together we waited for whatever was about to come. Insecticons. A lot of them, just like the time from our nightmare.
-Slag are the other secure?
-yes we just...
-then get here now!
Grim slash them and pushed them back. I covered his back shooting them and slashing the ones that came too close. At the end of the corridor Slag showed with Sludge with some amazement in his face but mostly anger. It wasn't late when we were all in the defense line not letting a single one pass. Then they were none.
-what is going on here?" Sludge asked
-crazy, the forge and the insecticons" i answered with sarcasm
-what are they doing here?"
-I'm about to find out" I said jumpin inside the hole on the floor, before Grimlock could stop me " I'll see you outside" I screamed and could hear him mumbling angry but agreeing.
The hole went directly underground; they drilled and dug their way inside the base. It was dark as usual holes were. I turned on my dark place optics mode and kept going. For being dug by the insecticons the place had an awful absence of them. I went on ahead I could see the light from outside and hear the rattle of the fight. I ran to it, but when I took look there were only forge soldiers and insecticons, the bots had been defeated and my teammates where were them?
-load the dinobots inside the charger and lock them" the voice sounded familiar too familiar to dismiss.
It was Ser-Ket the predacon who leads the forge, as she says the hammer of Shockwave. If she was here and the insecticons suddenly appeared again then this could only mean that a bargain was struck in Shockwave's arrival. I slipped and some rocks fell, I immediately turned my cloak on and let the nearby forge soldier scanned the area. He was so near I could just slay him or scare him to death, but I let him pass and do the scan and leave. Whew.
-we have a missing dinobot, bot, bot" kickback said some pleasure in his voice.
-indeed, have your insecticons search for and deliver her to the premises, the master will be waiting. Let us leave.
Kickback barked some orders and went with them, this is my chance. I turned my cloak on and ran to the charger before it lift off and jump on it holding on tight. I glanced back hoping deep down that Slag and Sludge hid all those other bots well. I really really hope so.
The place reminded me of the one in the nightmare, it was almost an exact replica except it didn't had the energon tower. The charger landed on a platform not entirely in the base perimeter, but I knew the cargo was headed for it. So I skip ahead and went straight inside the base. The walls were covered in vines just like insecticons lairs, the floors had a vine free path. The lights were dim and almost non existent. I walked the corridor making no noises, all the way to what I assume is the control room. Because if I was going to get my friends back I needed a map and some knowledge of the people inside this place. So I let various insecticons pass me by and finally got to the room. The door opened and the forge soldier looked back dismissively and continued with his work. I took my time in the consoles, I searched through various projects after I got the map, and stopped specifically in one name Dino code. Pretty obvious it was about us but it was locked so I didn't dare sound the alarm I slipped back outside. I walk this time through the vents; the first stop was Slag he was closest. The vent lead to the front of his cell not inside I guess for reasons that screamed "Starscream interference" all over them. Upon arriving I got down from the vent, cloak on and shot the two guards guarding the doors. The entrance was closed, thank you Starscream, with a security code. I tried the first time but clearly I'm not that close to Shockwave to know his b-day so I shot it and it worked. The door opened to reveal a small lab and Slag suspended in the air in the middle of the room. There was only one console and it seemed it was connected to Slag. As I move in closer I confirm the worst idea that came to me, Dino code isn't our history with our buddy Shockwave it was a reprogramming code for all of us.
-hang on Slag, I'll get you out" I whispered him and kneeled in front of the monitor.
This is complex stuff, the lab complex but I started looking for the cancel button. After touching almost every button I found it. Slag fell from his bounds and into the ground with a grunt. I ran to him helping him get up.
-ooooh, what happened? Where are we? What..." he looked up and around the room and scoffed " don't tell me, Shockwave is back"
-you bet, take this, is the map of the place and try not to attract too much attention, will ya?" I helped him up completely and went on my way.
-where are you going?
-to get the others" with that I left the room and went into the vents again, next stop Sludge.
The traffic down stairs was way more crowded than the one in the vents. That told me Slag didn't lay as low as I told him to, but it's ok it just means there won't be many guards, I hope. The vents didn't had as many vines as the corridors below, but getting closer to Sludge they were increasing. I repeated the same routine with Sludge; cloak on, slay the guards and the security on the door. Inside the room Sludge was awake and in pain.
-Misty get me out of here!" He screamed.
I rushed to the console but this buttons were different and I was entering desperation. I raised my bow, transform it into a sword and let it fall down the console with all my strength. Sludge fell down and held his head in his hands and straighten himself still holding his head.
-are you ok?" I asked looking at him with concern
-I'll be fine" he responded with a smile
-good then take this and rendezvous with Slag, and lay low" I gave him the map and left.
Inside the vents again, this was getting fun, I bet I'll get them all out. Getting to Swoop required that I moved out of the cover of the vents, which was fine by me, needed a stretch. The vent I'm currently am had interception and the path to the right led to an opening. The round exit was 10 exits above me meaning it was a long fall and painful because there were huge pipes that made the cylindrical place a web. I climbed into a pipe and jumped to the exit above mine, jumped again and...
-dinobot, bot,bot" chuckle
-Scrap" I whispered to myself. I stayed where I was and took the handle of my sword, press it and it transformed into a bow.
-Mmmmm, how delightful, ful, ful. I actually found you,you,you" he laughed.
I stood my ground waiting for him to show but because of the echoes I couldn't pinpoint where the voice came. He could be in any vents exit or even above where I'm headed. The blow seem it came from above and it took me by surprise. It wasn't a shot it was him, he launched himself and kick and landed on my back. I fell and hit the first pipe, trying to get a hold of it but it slipped. Hit he second pipe with a painful scream and kept falling down, down, down and the floor. With a groan I try to get up, I thought I was moving but I wasn't, my vision is between double and blurry. The one thing I was sure is that jumping shadow was Kickback and with every blink it got closer. He stood next to me at the end, I tried to raise my bow.
-stay down,dinobot,bot,bot" He chuckle as I groan; he kicked the bow from my hand " lights out,out,out" he said with a delighted high pitch note and knock me unconscious.
My optics went online, still a little blurry. I was on the floor being pulled from my wrist by an insecticon and he wasn't kickback. I grab a vine near me and hold unto it making the insecticon abruptly stop and turn. He let go of the wrist and...I never liked hand-to- hand combat, strength wasn't my forte it was stealth. He launched a punch to my chest which I avoided taking his arm, using his weight and sized against him and launched him into the wall.
-something hurts" I said with a gasp.
Before he could regain himself I wall ran and kicked his head unconscious. I hugged my stomach as I finished the blow and regained myself, something definitely hurt. Plus I am weaponless and still needed to get to Swoop, I went to the map on my hand and the hologram showed me how far I was from him. Not so far just a floor above me and back to the cylindrical web all the way to the top outside to the lab and to Swoop. I ran to the floor above avoiding any contact with the insecticons while looking for a weapon. I got there and to the cylindrical web, again I started climbing and regretting not having heard Kickback'd blow which rid me of my head start. I climbed the pipes and jumped with groans the taller ones and at last I got to the last one. I got to the edge of the opening and climbed outside laying on the floor resting for some seconds. Something sounded like trouble to my right where the door was. The guards were running to me, I got up and transformed to meet them and tell them farewell. My mode unlike my teammates isn't a Dino is some kind of prehistoric feline with big teeth, sabertooth tiger Shockwave said back then. I ran to them with speed unlike my bot form which I consider slow. Avoiding getting shot I zigzagged and bit the first one in he leg grabbing him and using him to dispose of the others. When they went down the web and out the sides of this platform landing I bet in bad shape I threw him with them. Transforming again, kneeling from pain but amiss I must go free Swoop, so big breath and run for the lab. This time I punched the controls and the door opened, went to the console and started searching for the cancel button hoping I wasn't too late for him. Out of nowhere a hologram from Shockwave showed making me jump back away from it.
-I see you escaped
-no I'm just a hologram I'm not even here so ignore me" I said as I got up and went around the room looking for something to smash the console.
-noted. I also see that my improvements serve you right. Indeed you are not one for brute force and that's why I built you for stealth. You are one of my greatest creations apart from Grimlock.
Found something "Listen here you cycloptic Freak, you didn't built me and you gave me nothing but pain and bad memories" with that I smashed the controls not letting him speak more.
Swoop woke before falling and flew to me transforming before crashing into me.
-whooo! That was something, lil sis,
I chuckled- take this and rendezvous with the others I'm getting Snarl and Grim" I turned to leave
-you ok?
-yeah just the usual bang up"
-Need a lift?
-actually yes" I said smiling
He took me and flew me to the nearest entrance close to Snarl. From there he went on, and I did the same.
-how big is this place, Primus
I decided to run for it cloaked; the flow of insecticons seemed to be slim each time I freed on of my friends. They should wait till I free my brother Grimlock, I'm sure he'll put one heck of a show. The place had a lot of vines more thicker and more together and below my feet there was a bright green liquid running. He place would have seen mystical if it weren't horribly wrong. The corridor ended in a wall with a stair, I cocked my head to the side as if to see a glimmer of what could be up there waiting for me. But at the end of the stairs there was an obstruction, some kind of grill like circular door. Then it hit me, I was in the sewers. I shivered at the thought, yuck, nice entrance Swoop. I started climbing the stairs and reached the door, before getting out I put on the cloak and opened the little circular door to take a peak at what's waiting for me. Nothing out of the ordinary just three guards, so I jumped out of the stair hole and skated the guards. This is easy and perhaps too easy, but nonetheless since nothing happened I went for the controls punched them and the doors opened to reveal the why to my last thought. It was too easy because the danger wasn't outside it was inside and his name was Hardshell. He stood inches from Snarl with a thermal rocket gun pointing at his face.
-Misty?! Get out of here!" He screamed in pain.
-never have I seen someone look so lost in their home" he said with pleasure in his tone.
-this is not my home, trust me mine is better cleaned" he Scoffed. I have to try and get him angry, angry opponents lose sight and that's the key or this is where it ends. "So how about you let my friend go and I'll just fight you later, promise"I said raising my hand.
He launched the rockets at my direction and I slide to the side, took some impulse and wall ran towards him. The rockets were fired again and crashed into the wall the moment I jumped in front of him. Before he could shoot again, I hit his hand and send the thermal rocket launcher far away from him to the left. He took my hand and twist it, I groaned; he made me kneel beside him. His free hand got a knife out of a nearby surgery table and with it he make an attempt to stab my shoulder. I put all of my remaining strength into my free arm to stop his wishes.
-I'm trying my best to be polite...but if you move that knife a centimeter closer, I will... tear your face off with it" he chuckled and it rumble in his chest plate.
I kicked his leg making him kneel just like me and seizing the opportunity he used all his strength to pin my hand to the floor and get the knife in my shoulder. To him it appear like his brute force knock me out.
-Misty! Are you ok?!" Snarl manage to say without screaming but clearly fading.
As Hardshell went to the console to contact Shockwave, I sneak from the back and took his head with all my anger and bashed it into the console. He went a few steps back perplexed and this time I seized he moment taking the knife from its wound and throwing it to its marked opponent, his head. The rush happened so fast, the scene, that after it all I crumbled down in front of the console. Snarl was free and quickly came to me concerned. He put his hand on my shoulder and rock me gently.
-I'm fine, take this and rendezvous with the others" I stood up and barely walked to Hardshell, took the knife and went to the door with adrenaline surfing through me.
-where are you going?
-to free Grim" with that I left and down the sewer stairs.
Grim was in the heart of the tower. Predictable of Shockwave to hide his most important projects so deep. I continued to use the sewer system until the path was blocked by a huge vine stack. I decided to climbed it up to the floor above me, and a little more ahead was Grimlock's lab room. My major concern was there was no security for it and it feels like I am about to run into something bigger than Hardshell or Kickback. The air reek of hostility and the atmosphere is tense or maybe I am tense, hard to tell when adrenaline is running its course. I turned the cloak on and decided to go for it, stabbed the controls and got in. To my surprise the place was empty, meaning Grim wasn't there, and the lights were red like those back at home when the attacked happened. This doesn't seem to be good, so I stealthily went around the room careful not to make any noise or bump into something. Maybe Grim got out on his own, it's happened before. Then my crouched position is not needed anymore, I straighten myself and the cloak turned off. Then so fast an excruciating pain hit my arm sensors, crunching pain that made me scream. The lights turned from red to orange and revealed the emotionless yet proud con that has been causing all our troubles form the start, Shockwave. I was suspended and my free hand was trying to free my arm from... scrap. My arm was pinned inside the mouth of Grimlock's T-Rex mode.
-the look of disappointment and terror on your face would have made me happy if I had any emotion, that is.
-you..." Grimlock's mouth crushed my arm and my own screamed cut me off.
-that's enough, Grimlock, do you prefer the shackles or your brother's grip?
-you are psychopath" I spat
-I prefer the term creative, Grimlock, let her down" Grimlock opened his mouth and dropped me.
I hold my arm with my other kneeled in between Shockwave and Grimlock.
-what do you want with me? You already have what you want" I said looking up at Grim's mouth open above me.
-it seems logical that I explain my desires to you, after all you won't remember anything after I reprogram you just like I did your brother. I want the perfect soldier, all the qualities required to win this war or shift it balance to my advantage or Megatron's. That is the reason for you team but you illogically always seem to escape before I can complete my designs
-are you afraid of me?" He seem ofended by the question; for a bot without emotions he sometimes displayed some.
-grimlock you may leave us, guard the entrance and don't let anyone in.
Grimlock looked at him and went to obey his orders. It almost made me sick to see him do something so unnatural for himself.
I took the knife and burry it in his shoulder while he look how Grimlock went away. He didn't even flinched at it, on the contrary he moved fast taking the knife out and picking me up by the wounded arm. I hissed out pain.
-this is why Grimlock stays to make sure you do too" he squished the arm
-ok, ok, ok I'll behave" I said with a groan.
-good" he took me by the wounded arm all the way across the room and dumped me on a gurney. I tried to stand but there was no adrenaline and every hit I've taken came back. Even though I tried he pushed me back and held me down. My vision was closing, I was starting to go into a stasis lock.
-did you knew this is your lab room is not Grimlock's?" What? " I hacked the map, and made some adjustments to keep Grimlock in another place while still leaving his name on it. I predicted you would let him last, seeing he is the strongest of you all, he could withstand anything I threw at him. But your predictions were wrong, he succumbed to the reprogramming much quicker that I anticipated.
-liar" I manage to say
-his willpower failed him at last. This should keep you online I wouldn't want you to miss the part where it's going to hurt while I personally see to your reprogramming" in his hand was a vial, I tried to stand up again and again I was pushed back down " still you resist, impressive" he fed me the content and after a while I couldn't move I was trapped. My body went numb.
The com went online and Sludge's voice came through.
-we have a crisis
-we can't have a crisis I got a full schedule
-then you better find some space cause the main course is here
-Boss? Is us the dinobots? Wait where's Misty?
Then no more voices, only memories, bad memories. Painful memories. The nightmare returned. The darkness, confusion, fear and the hopelessness of not being able to do something, the sinking feeling, falling into the abyss of nothingness.
-subject: Blackmist part of the dinobot program, code: 58777, creature: sabertooth tiger. Administering reprogramming code 46900 now.
The big needle hovers on top of my head and I can't move to stop it. Suddenly my optics went black and there was nothing. No pain, nothing, no feelings just like him.
I wake up to the deafening sound of the alarm, the lights were red and this time flickering. The recent events now seemed like a daydream in the control room back home. But not such luck. I was still in the gurney, still hurting, but there was no Shockwave and place looked wrecked. My good arm hand went to my head and everything seemed in order. I tried to stand and sit with success but not with less pain. Shockwave was on the floor near the gurney unconscious and without his right arm which seemed to have been pulled out of its socket. I looked up to see the T-Rex responsible for such act. I froze. He simply went to me and nudged me with his head like a big dog would. I chuckled.
-thanks, bro" with his head helped me stand and with his tail to walk.
On the floor I fixed my eyes on my handle, I went to get and Shockwave hand grabbed my wrist pulling me to kneel. At my back Grimlock roared and went to me, but I rose my hand stopped him.
-you will never escape this nightmare I've created.
I shook his hand from my wrist and turned the handle into the sword
-children shouldn't play with knives" he said stammering
-who said I was playing, cycloptic freak
With a slash his head fell and his body jerked with sparks.
I went to Grim who growled at me, no he was speaking to me.
-no I'm sure he's not the real one, again, but it still felt good.
We both went outside the room and outside the place to find the other dinobots waiting.
-guys!" Swoop exclaimed excitedly
-we may have to leave the reunion for later, there's trouble" Sludge said pointing at the sky where Ser-Ket was flying steady with some Forge soldiers around.
Grimlock spoke again.
-what's my plan? My plan was to follow yours" he growled no talking this time " fine Dinobots, lets rip this bozos to scrap, our style"
All of them transformed.