Disclaimer : I don't own Transformers, that's for sure. Otherwise, I'd be rich!

Author's Note: That story had popped in my mind sometimes during the night, and I just had to put it into words. It's kinda creepy and really scary, and funny at the same time, in my opinion! No slash, no pairing!

Warnings: horror and a lot of mech gore…

Rated: M, to be on the safe side…

Cybertron's Night of the Living Dead

Message

"*parasites*…Keptus running for a while…*parasites* wounded, and I don't know who or what those things… *parasites*Were torn apart by thesebeasts. I'm the last survivor of the team… *parasite*Trapped in a basement, don't known where exactly… *Parasites*Send you coordinates, but I don't think I will… *parasite, silence, then crashing and glass breaking noises* NO!STAY BACK! HAAAAAA!"

The mechs assembled in the control room where all silent and wore grim faces, disturbed by the content of that message. It wasmore then just a little disturbing, to say the least. Optimus Prime looked at the six mechs assembled around the table. They all looked uncomfortable, glacing at each others, deeply shaken and distraught by that communication. Horizon, the mech heard in that message, had been a comrade and friend for a long time. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, the infamous Frontliner Twins, where sitting lazily in their seats, arms folded and looking they didn't care, but the lines of tension around their mouth and slightly narrowed optics told another story entirely… Jazz was standing right next to Optimus, looking uncharacteristically serious and stern, head tilted to the side as he was listening to the distress message they just goes trough. Horizon and his team had been SpecOps and under his direct command. They were his, and now... apparently, they were all dead. Taken by some unknown force, and Jazz didn't like surprises or the unknown.

The three others where new recruits, fresh out of training, and had never really faced the horrors of war. Stormcloud was a large black and silver mech wearing an permanent hardened and cold expression, as if nothing could faze him or break that hard shell of his. His specialization were weapons and explosives and he was one of Ironhide's best students. The mech was just as trigger-happy as the old Weapon's Specialist, and THAT was telling a lot about the mech! Deadly and focussed, cold and detached, and, according to most of the new recruits, a real afthole. He was like a well-oiled, perfectly tuned weapon, once unleashed on the ennemy, he would not stop until the last mech lay dead and grayed at his pedes. He didn't seems affected at all by the current situation. However, how accurate that statement was was still to be seen.

Next to him was seated Silverstreak was a little red and white mech, petite in frame but according to his tutor ratchet, he had a hell of a temper. Medic in training, he was already a skilled surgeon and made him particularly proud. The grouchy old medic had only praises for the young medibot and some were saying that he was becoming a younger version of the Hatchet. He had a wicked aim, and was deadly with a sniper rifle. Very fierce and merciless when it comes to battle, he could kill and maim just as well as he healed and mended. He was currently looking at their leader with an uneasy look in his optics, his finely chiseled faceplates conveying his growing unease and worry.

The last mech present was also the most awkward, kind of out of place. He was a thin, tall golden and black mech with long, clawed hands and a pair of wings adorning his slender back, screaming out loud of his Seeker nature. He was named Goldendeath and that name was the perfect fit for him, for he was death from above, blinding and deadly. He was what humans could call a psychopath, or at the very least a sociopath with a murderous streak, for he took great pleasure in the act of killing and destruction. He always approached death like it was a form of art, fine and delicate yet brutal and unforgiving, and he was a great master of his art, taking pride in what he does. The ex-Decepticon took great pleasure and amusement in his comrade's uneasiness and fear of him, often carefully disguised as loathing and sneering disgust. he didn't care what others thought of him though, as long as he had Decepticons to kill and maim. The fact that he never changed his outer appearance, all sharp edges, spikes and fangs did nothing to help his integration into the Autobot's rank either. Nobody was able to look him in the optics for long because what they saw was just too primal, too raw and disturbing to endure for long. His loyalty was to the Prime only to him but no one knew why or how he had come to join the Autobots in the first place. He seemed out of place here, more beast then mech. Since neither him nor Optimus would tell, his past remained a mystery and was clouded in dark, foreboding shadows that most Autobots found unsettling. he was currently starring in front of him, expression blank and kind of bored as he played with one of his wrist blade, sheathing and unsheathing it. What was on his mind was a complete mystery.

Optimus Prime was the one to break the silence that had fallen since the message was played. It almost sounded too loud in the quiet and everyone's attention immediately focused on their Leader as he finally spoke. His own voice was calm and even, telling nothing of his feelings and as strong and steady as ever. As he moved, pacing in front of the large table, the red and blue flame pattern on his chest and arms seemed to move as if they were alive.

"That message was received four breems ago and was sent by the leader of a 5 mechs scouting team that were sent to investigate a small abandoned city south of here. When the comunication came in, the team was already five hours late in reporting in." There was a pâuse and Optimus stopped pacing, looking around the room at them all as they listened intensely. "Something obviously has happened to them that deactivated them all, and this incident must be investigated. That city is only three days from here, close enough that it could be a real threat if Decepticons had taken over it."

"Well, seem to me than they run into a 'con ambush and got killed…" Interrupted Sunstreakerwith a snicker, earning himself a sharp elbowing from his twin and a shove through their bond. he answered with a scowl but didn't add anything else.

Optimus gave the mech a warning look before resuming his speech as if he was never interrupted, smoothly and decisively.

"It may seem like the logical conclusion, Sunstreaker, but we don't know for sure what happened to them. The mech you heard in the transmission was named Horizon and he was an experienced scout and a highly skilled warrior, as well as a SpecOps agent working closely with Jazz. I have my doubt concerning Decepticons involvement because that mech wouldn't have been scared by a Decepticon's ambush team. Something is amiss in this and this is why I want that incident investigated further. Your mission will be to investigate the premises of the city Horizon's team was sent to and, if possible, retrieve any survivors you'll find."

"Sounds like a piece of energon cake to me." Muttered Stormcloud as he looked up to meet his Leader's optics. " I don't like it when it sounds too easy like that. That can only means there's something we don't know about that could blow up in our faces, that's one thing Ironhide always told me."

"Are you sure it's not Red Alert who's training you, 'Cloud? You sounds just like him, 'ole paranoid Red!" Chuckled Sideswipe as he leaned over his brother frame to snicker at the large mech, earning himself a dark glare. "Didn't know 'Hide has a paranoid streak! You sure learn something new every day!"

He was roughly shove back into his seat by his brother who snarled "Get lost, 'Sides!" before returning his look to the handsome medic seated in front of him and giving him a seductive wink. Sideswipe guffawed as he fell back into his seat and gave his brother a look that meant he wasn't living this down. And was promptly snarled at through their shared bond for his trouble. They were all interrupted by an annoyed, serious voice and all optics turned on Jazz, who up until now had remained silent. He had his arms crossed over his chest and a grim expression graced his usually cheerful features.

"Enough! Tha's not a Laughin' matter, mechs! If there are 'Cons in the ruins of that 'ole city, you won' be Laughin' when we get there!" He glared at each and every mechs present in the room, narrowing his optics at the twins and making them lower their optics, subduing them all with his optics before turning to Optimus again, saying with a half-smirk. "C'mon, Prime, They're listenin' now."

"Thank you Jazz. As I was trying to say, Horizon's Scout team was sent to investogate the ruins of an old city ravaged by the Decepticons many Vorns ago. It was a relatively small city and the attack left no survivors. It was quick, merciless and devastating and meets the Decepticon's strategy of hit and run that was widely used at the time. To put it plainly, it was a slaughter and none were spared, were they mechs, Femmes or Sparklings."

"that's old news, Prime, even if that's horrible and sad. Why is it of any importance to our mission?" Asked Stormcloud, lifting an optic ridge.

"This is where I'm going, Soldier. All of this plays a role in the current siuation." Replied Optimus whit a hint of annoyance coloring his otherwise calm tone. "What I am about to tell you now has nothing to do with logic or rationality, but please, listen until I am done explaining and keep an open mind. It will sounds like Old Femme's tale, I am sure ofit, but it is linked to what might have happened to the lost team."

"So? What is it, Prime?" Asked Silverstreak with a curious look in his optics, his voice colored with uneasiness.

"After the attack, the city was completely abandoned and left to rust until everything here has all but return to rust and dust, buildigs, remains, everything, as is the way that life goes on, making room for the new and destroying the old. There were so many dead that no one could give them all a decent funeral and almost all of the corpses were just left to rust where they fell, except for a few who had family outside of the city. usually, that would be a strong enough deterrent to stop wanderers to venture into the city, but some mechs did, and this is where the story becomes... well, less conventional, let's just say. Stories of haunting and moving corpses from the mouth of half-mad mechs and femme whom had claimed to have ventured into the old ruins and survived."

"Haunting and moving corpses? This is getting interesting!" Interrupted Sideswipe yet again and his brother elbowed him sharply.

"Shut up, afthead! That's a load of slag! Ghosts aren't real and corpses can't move once they're dead." Sunstreaker retorted, sounding almost angry at the thought of something so far-fetched and illogical.

"Wheter you believe it or not, Sunstreaker, the facts are that many mechs disappeared over the vorns in those ruins and the stories speaks of restless souls condemned to walk the streets of place where they were slaughtered for all eternity by Primus himself, until they sought revenge for their death. It's why I was reluctant to let Horizon's team go there in the first place and why I have my doubts about what really happened to them. You must be careful when you reach your destination, mechs. The place is dangerous with or without supernatural events taking place. Even if the stories are all exaggeration and hallucination or whatnot, that place is littered with deathtraps and still highly hazardous. I recommend the highest prudence while you are there."

There was a long moment of silence, and then Stormcloud burst out laughing along with Sideswipe, while Silverstreak and Sunstreaker looked uneasy and were either scowling darkly (Sunstreaker) or frowning deeply (Silverstreak). Obviously the two former didn't believe a single word of that story of "restless souls". After regaining a little composure, the young warrior said, voice dripping sarcasm and disbelief.

"C'mon, you don' really believe all those dumb stories of ghosts and all that slag, Prime? That's just crap made up by creators to scare little sparklings, or better yet, made up by the 'Cons toscare gullible glitches and make sure no one ever goes there! They'd been trapped by some restless DECEPTICONS, not a bunch of ghosts! Come on, get real, mechs!"

"Still, be very careful when you reach your destination. Wheter those stories have a flicker of truth in them or not, even Decepticons passing for ghosts can be deadly. Jazz?" Said Optimus in a neutral voice, leaving the rest to Jazz and taking a step back, arms over his chest.

"Sir?"

"Be ready to depart in ten breems. That is all, mechs!"

"It will be done, Optimus, Sir."

-TBC-

R&R, please!