Chapter 1: Neither Autobot nor Decepticon
5 years had past on Cybertron, Arcee was on patrol when she heard a voice, it was gruff and baritone.
"Arcee, I need you and a few Autobots to return to Earth, I sense the Decepticons are still at large," the voice called out to the femme bot scout.
"Optimus is that you, why do I need to return to Earth, I thought the 'Cons disbanded when Megatron went into exile?" Arcee asked the disembodied voice.
"Yes, however, Airachnid is leading a team of Rogue Decepticons, on Earth causing global panic," Optimus Prime's voice replied. Arcee produced a face of curiosity she then asked Prime's voice.
"Which Decepticons are they?" Prime responded.
"Besides Airachnid, there is Barricade, the Combaticons: Swindle, Onslaught, and Brawl, along with Blackout, Bonecrusher, Mixmaster, and Scrapper," the voice said.
"Hmm, just those nine this'll be a 'walk in the park'," Arcee said smugly.
"I won't get too cocky, Arcee. They have hired a killer one who is neither Autobot nor Decepticon, but I would consider him a dangerous foe to Autobot kind," Optimus' voice warned, "all those, there are still Autobot refugees that are on Earth."
"Who?" Arcee asked Optimus.
"Autobots Ironhide, Blurr, Hot Rod, and Longarm," Optimus said to Arcee. Arcee though who to take with her. She transformed into vehicle form and raced off. She decided to take Bulkhead, Wheeljack, Smokescreen, and Jetfire. Once she hac her ragtag team of Autobots, she had set the coordinates for Washington D.C. Where they would rendezvous with Ratchet, Jack, and Miko. The Autobots walked through the Space Bridge. Upon reentry on Earth, they were on the Pentagon's courtyard.
On an uncharted island in the rainforest, a secret Decepticon base harbored the evil mechs. In the base's control room, Airachnid sat in a large chair watching the monitors as her Decepti-Clones were checking the security cameras and the base's defenses. On of the monitors that watched the entrance of the base filmed a large purple and black helicopter, the chopper transformed into a tall, sinewy looking robot.
"Ahh, Blackout has returned, open the door for him, will you?" Airachnid asked politely. The Decepti-Clones did as they were told and opened the base up for the returning Decepticon. Blackout walked in, he walked into the control room.
"Blackout, so nice to see you, have you got the item I sent you for?" Airachnid asked with anticipation. Blackout spoke in a deep grumbly voice.
"Yes, I have the device," he said to commander. Airachnid smiled with both joy and malicious intent.
"Excellent!" Airachnid shouted, "now, I want you to take a rest, I will send Barricade, Brawl, and the Bounty Hunter on their mission."
Barricade and Brawl were summoned by the Spiderbot, Barricade's disguise was a police muscle car, and Brawl's was an army green SUV.
"Yes, Commander?" Barricade asked.
"Barricade, Brawl, I have a mission for you, you two will go to the United States, and sabotage the Autobots plans on finding us," Airachnid said to her warriors. The third member stayed in the shadows, his crimson red eyes glowed evilly in the darkness. The silhouette of the mech crossed his arms. His left servo was normal, but his right servo had a long hook at the end.
"Let's kick some Autobot skid plate!" Brawl shouted with excitement he couldn't contain.
"Patients, Brawl you will get yours, once Barricade has snuck into the new base and has sabotaged their computers," Airachnid said, "I will have a Clone Ground Bridge you there, and do not fail me!" Airachnid commanded. The two 'Cons were warped to their destination. Barricade and Brawl transformed. The two racing for the Autobots base.
Inside the base, Arcee met up with newcomer agents Jack Darby and Miko Nakadai. Jack wore glasses, a suit and had his hair gelled back. Miko had her hair in a ponytail. As soon as the Autobots made contact with them, the two humans dropped everything and ran up to their old protecters.
"Arcee, is that you, it's been 5 years since you returned to Cybertron," Jack said to the 14 foot mech.
"Yep, it's me alright," said Arcee.
"Miko!" Bulkhead exclaimed. Miko's eyes widened amd she ran up to her old friend.
"Bulkhead, it's been so long, didya finally miss me?" Miko asked.
"For the past 5 years, we all missed you," Bulkhead replied.
"So glad you're here, guys, we've been having Decepticon attacks from Paris, to Munich, to wherever," Jack said to them.
"I also have heard you guys have some more Autobots here, is that correct?" Arcee asked curiously.
"Yes, follow me," Jack asked the Autobots, they followed the young man to a platform which lowered them further down. A humongous vault like door opened up and the room's light brightened up each and everyone's faces.
"Ladies and gentlebots, I present our team N.E.S.T.," Jack announced to his mechs. An Autobot almost as tall as Optimus was using a wrecking ball as a punching bag, he was painted crimson red, had two pulse cannons attached to his forearms and spoke in a gruff slightly southern accent. A mech about the same sizes as Bumblebee, and had an uncanny resemblance was spotting the tall, sinewy mech.
"Graah, ha, yaaah!" The red Autobot grunted.
"Good on you, Ironhide, few more of those and we'll have the 'cons hightailing it back to the stars!" The bumblebee look-a-like said.
"Don't get your hopes up yet, Hot Rod, we still need to know their plan," Ironhide said to his young Autobot Scout.
A sleek Autobot with blue paint raced over to the two. He spoke extremely fast, no one could keep up.
"By all means, it is possible that our enemies motive is quite simple to cause mayhem and panic, furthermore knowing Airachnid, she has wanted revenge on both humanity and the Autobots for causing her defeat, that is why she is doing all of these global attacks, simple," the fast talker said.
"Urm, right, but how do we find them?" Ironhide asked. Jack lead the Autobots to their refugee brothers.
"Arcee, Bulkhead, Smokescreen, and Wheeljack. I liked for you to be introduced to Ironhide, Hot Rod, and Blurr," Jack announced. Bulkhead waltzed up to Ironhide.
"So you're Ironhide, the leader these Autobots, eh?" Bulkhead asked.
"Yes, I was a warrior in the Great War, I aided Optimus against the Decepticons," Ironhide replied.
"So your a war veteran, why haven't you wanted to retire?" Arcee asked the Autobot.
"I'm afraid it is not that simple, Hot Rod, Blurr, Longarm, Ratchet, and I have chosen to stay and help rid this planet of Decepticon activity, we have made a commitment to stay in disguise and only transform when it is completely necessary," said Ironhide.
"Well, yeah, Ratchet did stay behind when we left back for Cybertron," Wheeljack added.
"Speaking of him, where is Ratchet?" Bulkhead asked.
"Follow me, he's with Longarm," Ironhide announced to the Autobots. Ratchet was going a diagnostic procedure on Longarm's back, Longarm's vehicle form was a tow truck, and the hook was placed up his back. Longarm's cable was tangled up making it almost impossible to move without discomfort.
"Hey doc, how long is this going to last?" Longarm asked impatiently.
"Don't lose your chassis, Longarm, I almost got it. There," Ratchet said to tow truck Autobot. The cables had gotten untangled and it was reeled back in. Jack introduced the Autobots to Longarm.
"Guys, this is Longarm, our Demolitions Expert," Jack announced Arcee and company.
"I'm Arcee, this is Bulkhead, Wheeljack, and Smokescreen," she said to the Autobot.
"Nice to meet you four," Longarm greeted. But before they could mingle, a high powered siren went off.
"'Code Red, Code Red, 'Cons are on the perimeter, this is not a drill!" Miko announced on the intercom.
"Battle stations, everyone!" Ironhide shouted. The Autobots transformed into their vehicle forms: Ironhide transformed into a pickup truck, Hot Rod transformed into a Ferrari, Blurr transformed into a sleek sports car, and Longarm transformed into a tow truck.
"Autobots, roll out!" Ironhide said in vehicle form, the Earthbound Autobots and the returning Autobots both raced to their entrance.