Chapter 1-A Turn for the Worst
Megatron had Arcee pinned to the wall, his glowing red optics glowing with bloodlust while holding the femme Autobot in a vice grip, and wasn't in the mood for games. Up until now he had been so close to removing Optimus Prime permanently from existence. First, his sworn enemy lost his memories, and became Orion Pax once more. A naive Cybertronian wanting to save their world from corruption and ultimately the destruction that he feared would await their race. Now he had a chance to destroy the Key to Vector Sigma, which Megatron knew held the means to restore Optimus's memories, and return him back into the great warrior the former gladiator of Kaon had been fighting for well over a thousand years. Once the key was crushed, he could rip the spark of Orion Pax from his former friend's chest plate, and truly be the victor in this conflict.
"Now...if you would be so kind to hand over the Key to Vector Sigma," spoke Megatron to Arcee struggling in his grip and it was at that point he notice the femme did not have the key in her hands.
So where was it?
A light caught the corner of his optics gave him the answer, as he saw Orion Pax kneel before the human boy, who the Decepticon Warlord had encountered several times in the past, and was holding the Key to Vector Sigma in his hand. The trail of energy from the key was traveling into Orion's spark chamber, allowing all the knowledge, and collective wisdom of the Thirteen Primes to turn the former clerk into Optimus Prime once again.
How could he have miscalculated?! The human boy, not the femme in front of him was the one Optimus gave the Key to Vector Sigma to, and the miscalculation was costing him total victory!
The Decepticon Warlord dropped Arcee, running towards the kneeling Autobot, and the human in the hopes of striking them both down before they could turn this against him. Sadly, it didn't happen, as Optimus caught his blade with his hands, and the Autobot leader was landing punch after punch on his metallic face. To make matters even worse, the other Autobots were starting to recover from their downed states Megatron had put them in, and it was only a matter of time before they rallied together to put the Warlord down.
However, it seemed Primus, or maybe even Unicron (given the dark energon still running through him) was feeling merciful to some extent when a Ground Bridge opened up near them. Megatron saw this, as did Optimus, but the Decepticon Leader knew the Ground Bridge was not from his side, and the Autobots were going to leave while they still had the chance. Enraged by how things were turning out, Megatron got up quickly from the ground, firing his Fusion Cannon at the group, his aim was a bit off, but leaving a lasting, or fatal injury even by chance would be a victory for him nonetheless.
"This one is ours. We need to go!" exclaimed Bulkhead, as he took a hit here, and there though his thick armor based design allowed him to take a few hits.
One of the energy shots aimed at Team Prime nearly hit Jack, who ducked slightly, and soon felt Arcee pick him up before heading for the Ground Bridge. The blue femme was rushing to the Ground Bridge, dodging energy shot after energy shot, but one of them hit her around her left side of her breast plating, and she staggered with the sudden feeling of the weight in her arms being lost to her. Before Arcee could even contemplate what that meant, another blast hit her right shoulder, and Bulkhead grabbed the blue femme before almost dragging her through the Ground Bridge.
"He's coming with US this time!" exclaimed Bulkhead before leaping through the Ground Bridge with Arcee with Ratchet and Optimus being the last to leap through it.
Leaving a very irate Megatron to yell out in anger at this humiliating defeat. His chance to finally destroy Optimus Prime and be one step away from victory over the Autobots before the inevitable conquering of this planet that held the slumbering spark of Unicron himself! Now the Autobots had their leader back, their spirits, and moral would reach an all time high while his own troops on the Nemesis would see this failure as an excuse to question their leader's ability to lead!
Megatron was so angry...he almost didn't hear the sound of something groaning in what sounded like...pain?! Curious, his red optics scanned for the source of the noise, and soon founded it when they zoomed in on figure that made the Decepticon Warlord's fury filled face turn go into reverse with a cruel smile.
"Well, isn't this a surprise," said Megatron before letting out a chuckle and kneeled down to get a better look at this...interesting situation lying at his feet.
(Autobot Base)
The atmosphere at the Autobot Base was filled with joy. How could it not? The Autobot Leader was back in the game once more, Megatron's scheme for Optimus when he was Orion Pax had been foiled, and all seemed right with the world! The Autobots themselves had dents, dings, scraped, and cuts all over their robotic bodies but aside from that...they were fine.
"It has truly been our darkest hour without you Optimus," declared Ratchet with Optimus nodding before the leader of the Autobots looked at the Decepticon symbol that was on his shoulder where the Autobot symbol had been prior.
"While I have no memory of what happened since our victory over Unicron old friend...a part of me is sure I want to know what has transpired during that time," replied Optimus with Ratchet nodding in agreement since the Autobot Medic wouldn't want to know if he was in his leader's place.
"Where's Jack? Jack?! " asked June, as she looked around the Autobots for her only child. and didn't find him with Team Prime.
"Hey where is Jack? Shouldn't he'd be out in front with the rest of you?" asked Miko, as she looked around the main area of the base, and didn't find the boy here with the rest of them.
"Arcee has him," answered Bulkhead before he along with everyone else looked at the injured femme, who looked back at them in horror, and it was in that horrible agonizing moment the sudden realization of what transpired during their escape from the area where Megatron's Space Bridge had been located.
Jack had been hit by one of the energy blasts shot from Megatron's Fusion Cannon that hit Arcee and made him fall out of the blue femme's grasp.
(Location of the Space Bridge)
Jack felt pain coursing through his entire body. His body felt like it was on fire, yet he knew that wasn't the case, and his vision wasn't clear. His memory of recent events wasn't so hot either. He recalled the Ground Bridge for the Bots opening up, energy blasts being fired at them, Arcee grabbing him, and one of the energy blasts fired from Megatron...oh scrap!
The sound the angry metallic titan leader of the Decepticons echoed throughout the large room, his heavy ground shaking footsteps when he charged after Optimus leaped through the Ground Bridge made the boy literally bounce with contact with the ground, and Jack fought to hold in the cries of pain his voice wanted him to make. Jack succeeded at first, until he tried to move slightly to hide in a corner where Megatron wouldn't find him, and felt an intense pain run through his right leg that told the boy it was broken in multiple places.
"Well, isn't this a surprise," said Megatron before letting out a chuckle and kneeled down to get a better look at this...interesting situation lying at his feet.
Jack's body froze, as he looked up, his vision clearly not what it should be right now, and saw three different Megatron's looking down at him.
And each Megatron was smiling an evil smile that made Jack's skin crawl.
"Oh scrap," mumbled Jack and saw Megatron grinning further at him.
"How interesting that you should be a state similar, yet different to my own not that long ago," stated Megatron to the injured human boy before him.
"Yeah. Real interesting," Jack replied sarcastically while feeling blood leaking from the side of his mouth.
"You've been a pain in my servos recently human. Its bad enough you spared my life in that cave, but you went to Cybertron, but you found Vector Sigma, and used the key to the place of legend in order to restore Optimus Prime's memories. If I wasn't your enemy, I would be impressed by what you've done in such a short time," stated Megatron before he carefully picked up the injured human boy.
"I don't suppose I've impressed you enough to simply let me live and be returned to the Autobots?" asked Jack with Megatron letting out a cruel laugh.
"Hardly boy! I might let you live, if only long enough to get the location of the Autobot's base, and maybe let you witness the death of Optimus Prime," replied Megatron with a cruel smile on his face before contacting Soundwave to create a Ground Bridge for him.
"Yeah. You've been so successful in doing that in the past," Jack replied sarcastically and he cried out in pain when Megatron put pressure on the boy's injured body when giving it a light squeeze.
A light squeeze by Cybertronian standards.
"Careful boy. I'm being extremely generous in letting you live this long. You owe me the life of an Iakon Clerk and a Prime. I intend to see to it that you pay such a heavy debt and with interest by the time I'm done with you," growled Megatron while seeing Jack was now gritting his teeth and trying to deny the Decepticon Warlord any further pleasure in hearing the boy's cries of pain.
Though Jack knew the crazy Con would have plenty of chance to try again real soon.
(Autobot Base)
"What do you mean you lost Jack?! How could you lose him?! He was in your arms and you let him go!" June exclaimed hysterically, as she looked at Arcee, who was still trying to understand things herself, and yet the blue femme Autobot's computerized brain was still stuck in the moment where she had lost her partner.
The memory of how she lost him kept repeating over in her mind. The blasts of energy being fired around them, her grabbing Jack's tiny spacesuit covered form, one of them hitting Arcee where she was holding Jack, and another hitting her other shoulder. She was caught with a brief flash of pain when hit, Bulkhead grabbing her, and no doubt the former Wrecker thought she was still holding onto Jack despite her injuries. Why didn't she protest? Why didn't she say, "I don't have Jack! Stop Bulkhead!", or possibly call out to the others to get Jack?
But she didn't. Arcee had lost her hold on Jack. She had lost her partner and now he was at the mercy (what little of it there was) of Megatron. Even worse, was Airachnid would want to get her claws on Jack for all the trouble he caused her ever since arriving here on Earth, and would no doubt plead her case to the Decepticon Leader. Those two psychos would destroy Jack for everything he's done to them and would do it with smiles on their faces.
"You have to go back there after him before Megatron finds Jack!" exclaimed Raf, as he whimpered in fear at what Megatron would do to Jack once the Warlord found him, and no doubt the entire Decepticon army on the Nemesis would form a line to do it too.
"We can't," replied Ratchet while seeing the horror on each human face staring at him and Arcee herself looked like he just spat in Primus's face!
"What do you mean we can't?! Jack is my partner! You can't honestly expect me to just leave him there to die alone if Megatron saw him. Even worse, Jack will suffer at the hands of Megatron if he's discovered Jack in the aftermath of our escape. You know how Megatron's pride took a hit when Jack didn't finish him off in the cave with that drill!" exclaimed Arcee with June looking surprised by that last part, as did Fowler, and Raf too since the whole situation was tight lipped.
"What do you mean when Jack didn't finish Megatron off with the drill?" asked June, as she felt her heart could barely take anymore bad news, and hearing how the alien enemy had a reason for hurting her son was even worse!
"We were looking at an old energon mine the Decepticons had abandoned a few years ago and we investigated. Though it would have been just me and Bulkhead if Miko didn't decide to run into the cave like an idiot! Megatron and Starscream arrived moments after we all went into investigate why we were getting readings of energon from the stripped mine and recover Miko before she got lost in the place. Jack and I walked in on Megatron about to kill Starscream with a short battle occurring with a cave in that soon followed as a result. Jack and I got separated as a result with him finding one of the Cons' drilling machines before somehow managing to pilot it in order to make a path. At one point, he ran into Megatron, who was pinned down by heavy rocks, and was completely helpless. Jack could have killed him right then and there with the drill," answered Arcee with the others, who didn't know this story gasping when hearing this, and it was clear that even Miko didn't know that last part.
"Why didn't Jack uh you know...kill him?" asked Raf curiously.
"Because it was something Optimus wouldn't have done despite what Megatron told him to the contrary. From what Jack told me...Megatron practically tried to goad Jack into using the drill in order to 'seize the day' and tried to have him 'think of the glory' in using the drill to end his spark. But Jack just couldn't do it. Jack wouldn't kill Megatron that way simply because he knew Optimus wouldn't do it either in his position. The fact Jack rejected Megatron's taunting no doubt hurt the Decepticon Leader's pride and earned Jack his ire in the process," stated Arcee while she saw Ratchet wincing and Optimus Prime himself was surprised that Megatron would use such twisted words to make Jack stain his still innocent soul with such a dishonorable action.
"When you add to the fact Jack returned Optimus's memories into the mix...it will just be another strike against him since its clear Megatron saw that happen," Ratchet said with his own input into the matter.
"I have my own experience with the Cons and I know for a fact they have a mean streak longer then the Washington Monument when scorned in even the slightest of ways. Jack's going to be in for a world of hurt," Fowler stated and winced when he saw June looking ready to collapse from the sudden stress of the situation.
"Way to make things worse for her," mumbled Miko to Fowler and winced when she saw Jack's Mom begin to sway before collapsing on the ground.
Ratchet was able to put her on a nearby human size gurney they had out for such things and he did a scan of the woman before shaking his head.
"She's unconscious from the stress of what we just learned and fainted. The only thing we can do is let her rest for now," replied Ratchet while seeing the others look relieved the woman was all right, but they were still concerned for Jack, and what was about to befall him while on the Nemesis.
"I don't blame her. She was terrified of Arachnid when in her clutches and was basically dropped into our laps when the fighting started to escalate around here. If she knew about half the things her son has been through...fainting would be the least of her worries," said Arcee and everyone with the exception of Optimus winced since the woman would have had a heart attack by this point.
Especially if she heard about the infestation that occurred with the Scraplets or the fact a Decepticon zombie named Skyquake had chased all three kids inside that of an alternate dimension. Not to mention the moving train that was going to crash thanks to M.E.C.H if Optimus didn't stop it from happening after Jack along with Miko to stall Silas's agents when they tried to take a dangerous alternative power source.
"What about Jack? Can't you guys quickly bridge back there? To see if Megatron missed him?" asked Raf knowing there might be a chance the Decepticon Warlord missed their friend.
Humans were hard to see when the Cybertronians were in bipedal form.
"Unfortunately, we can't go back without the risk of walking right into a prepared trap by Megatron meant to ambush us the moment we exit the Ground Bridge. The Decepticons would detain whoever is sent through in an instant, enter the Ground Bridge, and hit the base while causing maximum amount of damage to it before we could stop them. Even if we repelled those that came into the base, some of them could get out, and easily reveal our location to Megatron to further ensure his victory over us," stated Ratchet and it was clear no one liked his answer.
No matter how hard it was to hear much less swallow.
"So we just sit on our afts and do nothing?!" questioned Arcee, as she kept picturing Jack already injured form at the mercy of Megatron, and Airachnid with neither Decepticon showing an inch of mercy to the boy.
Her friend.
Her partner.
"Ratchet will try locating Megatron's Warship, but in the meantime we can do nothing to help Jack no matter how much we want to save him. We must first heal our injuries and then prepare for our next engagement with the Decepticons," ordered Optimus though he felt his words didn't have the strength they once possessed in the past.
"I'll be ready no matter what condition my body is in," stated Arcee, as she was going to make ever Decepticon she met pay for every injury they landed on Jack, and the femme was going to make them talk before she cut them down.
Every single strike they made against Jack's person would be another loss in the number of Decepticons under Megatron's command by her hands.
"Optimus, we may need to consider the possibility that Jack might...tell Megatron about our location. We should setup a secondary base of operations should that happen," stated Ratchet with Optimus closing his optics for a second in thought.
"While I do not believe Jackson would tell Megatron anything, it is unknown just how badly injured he is, and the breaking point the boy has from them as a result. Megatron will not hesitate to unleash his wrath on the boy and I dare not imagine the horror that he will face alone. You have my permission to scout for another potential base old friend, but it is only a last resort for us in the event Jackson's Will does break, and tell Megatron our base's location," answered Optimus while the leader of the Autobots silently hoped the worst possible outcome didn't happen.
At the same time, deep within himself, Optimus Prime silently prayed that Primus would somehow intervene, and show Jack mercy in honor of all the things the boy had done for them.
Jack had earned it.
(The Nemesis -Sometime Later)
Megatron walked into the Medlab to see Knock Out there, checking his equipment that had been used to interrogate past Autobot prisoners, and some future ones too if given the chance. However, for the moment anyway, the tools of the trade Knock Out had on hand would be used on a smaller, yet no less valuable a target, and while the human body was fragile...the spirit behind the flesh was indeed strong.
Megatron looked forward to seeing it break with the rest of the human boy's body.
"Knock Out! How is our...guest on your table doing?" asked Megatron while seeing the conscious and in pain human laying on the metal slab in chained restraints after removing the charred remains of his primitive spacesuit from his body.
When Megatron returned, he had informed the crew of what happened with many not liking the outcome of losing the chance for victory, which was expected when hearing such news, BUT the Decepticon Warlord turned it around by showing the injured boy in his one clawed hand, and announced he would make the human tell him the location of the Autobot base to bring about total victory for the Decepticon cause. Some were still skeptical until Knock Out remarked how the Autobots relied on the humans to give them a tactical advantage and this gave them all a chance to use it against their enemies for a change. When the other Decepticons learned this boy held the Key to Vector Sigma, many were shocked Optimus Prime would entrust such an ancient relic to the human, and Megatron informed them that this boy had Prime's unwavering trust.
And that the boy was the human equivalent of a Prime in training.
"Same old same old Lord Megatron. I've patched him up the best I could given how you wish to...question him about the Autobot base. His leg still needs work, but I figured that could wait a little while longer in case you wish to put some...pressure on it," answered Knock Out with a smile on his smug face and the Lord of all Decepticons grinned at him before turning to Jack.
"How about it boy? Will you spare yourself future pain and tell me where the Autobot Base his located? Knock Out might even fix up your leg if I like what I hear," stated Megatron in a gracious sounding voice though anyone who knew the Warlord knew it was a fake kindness.
"Never. Do your worst aft face. I won't tell you anything," Jack answered defiantly while Megatron frowned at his words.
"If that is your answer, then I'm afraid I'll have to use...other measures of persuasion. The energon prod Knock Out," said Megatron while Decepticon's Medic handed the Warlord the object and instantly stabbed the boy with it.
Jack forced himself not to cry out from the attack. His wounds already causing him pain and the prod was heightening them to a new level. When it stopped seconds later, it felt like hours, and left Jack panting heavily while blood left his mouth.
"Is that all you've got?" asked Jack at last before he was hit again by the energon prod and it last much longer this time.
"Foolish human. I'm just getting started in your torment. Make no mistake, I have every intention of making you suffer, and regret ever meeting the Autobots," replied Megatron, as he pulled the prod away, and saw the boy was trying to deny him the satisfaction of hearing his screams.
Even in his wounded condition the human boy fought to undermine the Decepticon's Will and power. Optimus had chosen wisely when it came to deciding on a temporary leader until his memories were returned. Strong, loyal, and not backing down from an enemy much stronger then himself. Megatron was almost impressed, but the sting to his pride at what the human had done recently kept that feeling at bay, and viciously swung the prod down on the boy repeatedly. He wanted to hear the boy scream and was not about to be denied that satisfaction simply because the boy was too stubborn to submit to his might!
"Lord Megatron stop! If you keep attacking the human like this, I won't be able to heal the boy long enough to get the information about the Autobot base out of him. I do not know much about human physiology just yet to sustain him if you break his body too soon!" exclaimed Knock Out and knew his leader had the tendency to take things out of hand too quickly.
Megatron must have realized this too, as he paused for a moment in thought before he swung the prod down on Jack one more time, and then began to look the boy over to see his handiwork had severely injured the human more then what was intended. The boy was bleeding heavily now from his torso, his arms were burned, and was trying to breathe after being hit by such nonstop abuse. Snarling at the inability to make the human cry out in pain, he shoved the energon prod into Knock Out's hands, and leaned in close to Jack's face.
"Make no mistake boy. You will tell me everything I want to know. One way or another you will tell me the location of the Autobot base and even the location of Vector Sigma. Everyone has a breaking point Jack. I will find yours, I will reach it, and when I do...I will show no mercy," whispered Megatron before walking out of the room and left his Medic to patch up the boy as best he could.
"That could have gone better," replied Breakdown while Knock Out shrugged.
"It couldn't be helped Breakdown. Our stubborn human friend here has irked our leader the wrong way recently. Megatron doesn't like it when someone crosses him and lives long enough to tell the tale to others," said Knock Out, as he was running a scan over the boy, frowned when the computer detected something in the boy's crimson life-force, and took out a needle to extract a sample of it from the body.
He could have easily taken it from the table, but wanted an untainted sample, and show Megatron unquestionable results of any analysis done to the liquid. Letting the computer in front of him run the scan, Knock Out turned to the injured human on the table, and got out some surgical tools before approaching Jack. The Medic had to admit, the human had been pretty resilient so far when being patched up when first brought aboard the Nemesis since no sedatives were used during the procedure to fix the boy's injuries. The broken leg was the only injury Knock Out had yet to fully repair, but that was to ensure there was no chance of the human escaping, which was unlikely, and yet this human was made what the others on the Decepticon Warship would consider a pseudo-Prime by the actual Prime himself.
And Knock Out wasn't going to take the risk of the human being successful with the ire of Megatron being redirected at him for letting it happen.
"It doesn't matter how many times you patch me up. I won't tell Megatron anything. I'll take what secrets I know to my grave," said Jack with Knock Out and Breakdown both smirking at him.
"Don't be too sure about that Jack. We've got a whole lot of tricks up our sleeve and even if we don't get information out of you...we can find another uses for you," replied Knock Out and began to painfully repair the damage done to Jack's body on one side while his assistant watched.
All Jack could do say to that was nothing and let darkness take him from the amount of pain he was experiencing.
(The Nemesis-The Brig)
Airachnid was surprised to see Megatron visit her while she waited to be brought to him after the failed Coup. against the Warlord during that whole business with Unicron. She had honestly not anticipated failing in the attempt when Megatron had put her in charge of his Warship while he went to speak to the Bringer of Chaos himself and blamed the failed Coup. on Soundwave. The silent Decepticon had proven not he was not only loyal to Megatron without question, but was also an expert in the art of combat as he was in surveillance, and no doubt studied it by watching others fight around him.
"Lord Megatron I...," replied Airachnid, but the commanding hand for her to be silent made her end any pleas for mercy, or explanations to why she led the Coup. against the Warlord.
"Spare me your excuses Airachnid. They do not suit someone like yourself. I came here to inform you of a development that has occurred since your detainment," said Megatron with the black purple femme looking at him in surprise while Soundwave stood behind the Decepticon Warlord.
"A development my Lord?" asked Airachnid with Megatron nodding.
"Soundwave is very good at surveillance as you are well aware and he has informed me of your past history with our new guest on board my Warship," answered Megatron, as he turned to Soundwave, and the silent Decepticon showed a picture of the three children in it when he had taken a picture before zooming in on the tallest of the three.
"My Jack!" exclaimed Airachnid hungrily and was practically salivating by this point.
"Yes. Your...Jack went to Cybertron and found Vector Sigma. He was able to come back and restore Optimus Prime's memories," stated Megatron while seeing Airachnid clearly becoming impressed by the human boy's actions.
"Really? Jack has finally decided to man up it seems. Who knew he had a pair," replied Airachnid while grinning evilly.
"Apparently he has since he was successful. However, I was able to injure, and capture him before taking the boy to Medlab for...treatment under Knock Out's watchful optics," said Megatron and saw Airachnid didn't like that one bit.
"That pompous moron has my Jack?!" Airachnid stated furiously since she was the only one aside from Megatron worthy to tear into the human boy's flesh.
"As I stated moments ago, the human boy was injured, and needed to be healed to some degree in order to ensure his life expectancy didn't abruptly end. The human has several crucial secrets inside his head and refuses to share them with me Airachnid. Not only does he know the location of the Autobot Base, BUT your Jack also knows the precise location of Vector Sigma, and I want to know its precise location for future reference. I am going to put you in charge of...extracting those two locations out of our guest currently recovering in Medlab!" replied Megatron while Airachnid grinned further at this news.
"Of course Lord Megatron. As you know, my Jack has crossed me too, and the two of us have unfinished business that needs to be addressed," stated Airachnid knowing Arcee was going insane right about now.
She would enjoy sending something of Jack to his Mother so the woman could give it to the Autobots so they would wallow in despair.
"I'm well aware of your history with the human boy. Soundwave sees everything for me whether you know it or not. However, I want the boy to stay alive, and failure to comply with my order will result in your own termination. Do you understand me Airachnid?" said Megatron with the femme nodding since she knew Jack's value being alive was higher then her own.
"Of course Lord Megatron. I will handle Jack with the utmost...care!" replied Airachnid with her eyes gleaming with ideas on how to make her Jack suffer.
"Good. Soundwave, you will be there to record the boy's reactions to Airachnid care for my amusement, and so I can deliver to Prime something of Jack when we have our next encounter," Megatron stated to his most loyal Lieutenant, who gave a silent nod, and the three of them left the Brig.
(Autobot Base)
No one had gotten much sleep or recharging done after what happened with Jack being taken by the Decepticon Warlord. Ratchet had the coordinates for the location that the Ground Bridge had been used to bring them back to base and scanned the entire area around it for human life signs in the hope Jack was there.
Sadly his life signs did not show up on the scans, which meant the boy had perished from his injuries sustained at the hands of Megatron, or...the villain had taken Jack back to his Warship.
The Autobots felt guilt run through their processors knowing this was not something they wished to happen to any of their human charges. They had done everything in their power to make sure it didn't happen, fighting with everything they had, and then some to ensure the Decepticons were able to unleash their fury on them. Now the one time they asked a human to do something of the utmost importance, they failed to stop the possibility from happening, and shortly after the mission was a success. Optimus himself felt the most guilt, as he had entrusted Jack with the Key to Vector Sigma, and going to Cybertron in order to reach the ancient location that held the collective wisdom of the Thirteen Primes. He knew Jack could handle it. The Prime could see so much of himself before and after being made a Prime in the boy that there was no one else to trust with such a task. While the other Autobots under his command were also worthy, they all had their faults that would only result in the mission being a failure, and Megatron winning in this war.
Of all the humans among their ranks, Jack was the only one Optimus could entrust with the Key to Vector Sigma because the boy knew what it meant to be responsible, and had matured faster then most did at his age. Miko was too wild, immature to be handed such a responsibility, and always acted without thinking of the consequences. Rafael, who was clearly more responsible then the young human femme, was sadly too young, and unsure of himself to be given the Key. Fowler was a patriot of his country's government, but if given the order by that government to hand over the Key to Vector Sigma upon it being known, the man would hand it over, and the Autobots would never see it again. Even Jack's Mother June Darby was to qualified to hold the Key to Vector Sigma, as she was against being involved from the start, and clearly wished to shelter the children from the dangers of the world. She treated each child like they were made of glass or too immature to handle things on their own. Optimus didn't know how the woman would react if he had given her the Key, but the Autobot Leader suspected June wouldn't be able to handle the horrors still residing on Cybertron long after it went dark.
Out of everyone among the ranks of both Autobot and human...only Jack was worthy to hold the Key to Vector Sigma and could be entrusted to carry out the secret mission once Unicron was defeated.
And now the boy was paying for it. Paying agonizing pain, the spilling of his own blood, and eventually...death!
"At best Optimus, we know that Jack is alive, though for how long is unknown, but we can safely assume Megatron won't end his life so soon upon being captured," stated a concerned Ratchet with Optimus nodding.
"As much as I would wish to find comfort in Jack being alive, the horrors he is no doubt facing now, or soon enough will most likely be worse then death itself. Keep scanning for Megatron's Warship. With any luck, we can find it before boarding, and freeing Jack from Decepticon hands," replied Optimus while Ratchet could only nod and trying to find the Warship.
The sooner the better.
"This is serious Prime. I know you don't want further human involvement, but...I have to let my superiors know of the situation regarding Jack, and how he's become a POW in this battle with the Decepticons," stated Fowler while glancing at a still asleep June, who was now tossing, and turning slightly on the gurney with sweat running down her face.
She was no doubt having a nightmare.
"As much as I would wish for assistance on this matter Agent Fowler, the Decepticons will not hesitate to capture, or kill more humans that they encounter. Its bad enough that Jack has become a casualty of the former and I could not stand to see either possibility multiply from there," replied Optimus with Fowler frowning at him.
"And how do you plan to solve this problem? How do you plan to save Jack? Right now he's probably being ripped to pieces by Megatron or that other one with the spidery legs," countered Fowler before turning to see Arcee shaking with fury.
"Don't you think we know that! The vey idea of Jack being in her clutches fills me with so much anger I just want to destroy every Con that stands in my way!" exclaimed Arcee while picturing Airachnid ripping Jack to pieces while laughing at her failure to protect yet another partner.
"We will do everything in our power to rescue Jack from Megatron and Airachnid before they can cause permanent harm to him Arcee," stated Optimus with Arcee looking up at him and it was clear she wanted to believe him like she had so many times before in the past.
But for some reason...part of her doubted his words of assurance and dreaded the day they saw Jack again.
(The Nemesis-Medlab)
"Hello Jack. Happy to see me again?" asked Airachnid while leaning in close to inspect her Jack and see his body was indeed not one hundred percent.
"You're as much fun to see as an army of infesting Scraplets," replied Jack sarcastically while the spidery femme among the Decepticons chuckled and saw Knock Out look at him in shock that he even knew what a Scraplet even was!
"Someone has told you a bit about Cybertron it seems. Was it Optimus? Bulkhead? Or maybe it was Arcee!" replied Airachnid while running a clawed finger delicately along his face.
"I witnessed them go into a feeding frenzy while on Cybertron. It was actually amusing to see one of the few remaining Decepticons on the planet get torn apart by them," replied Jack with a smile on his face, but it was removed when Airachnid stabbed his shoulder with one of her fingers, and hissed right into his ear.
"While I have no love for any fellow Decepticon here on this ship or back on Cybertron, I don't exactly like it when someone else takes joy from it either, and I tend to get violent!" stated Airachnid while keeping her optics locked onto Jack's face to see him trying to fight back the pain.
"I've...noticed!" Jack shot back despite the pain.
"Megatron has entrusted me in locating the Autobot base through you and the location of Vector Sigma on Cybertron. If you value your life, even a little bit Jack, you would play it smart, and tell me where the location of each one is before I resort to other measures of asking. None of which are nice," replied Airachnid while taking her clawed finger out of his shoulder and licked the crimson liquid off of it with her metallic tongue all the while humming slightly in a twisted sense of pleasure.
"Even if I did tell you...I have the strangest feeling I'll still be tortured no matter what I say. Am I wrong?" Jack asked and Airachnid thought about it while Knock Out smirked.
"Perhaps. Perhaps not! It would all depend on Megatron and his desire to be merciful. At the very least, he would give you a quick death, and let me have your head mounted on my wall as a trophy," replied Airachnid with Jack scowling at her.
"That's not much incentive to tell you, Knock Out, or Megatron anything," Jack retorted and Airachnid smirked at him.
"I know. Which means this makes my job all the more enjoyable Jack. I get to make you scream, cry, bleed, and eventually break in every manner of the word. After I've finished slicing into your body, Knock Out is going to patch you up, and after a small reprieve...I get to start all over again!" Airachnid replied with a sense of happiness showing on her face and was heard in her voice.
"Then go for it! Like I told Megatron when he first captured me...do your worst! You won't get anything out of me!" Jack proclaimed defiantly while staring right into the femme's optics.
"Well...since you asked me so nicely Jack...who am I to deny your surprising request?!" asked Airachnid sadistically while Knock Out sighed and mumbled something about having his assistant clean up the mess she made with the human.
All the while Soundwave stood watch, recording Airachnid's actions towards Jack, and his struggles to resist the torture the femme Decepticon was unleashing on him.
(The Nemesis-The Bridge-Sometime Later)
"Lord Megatron!" called out Knock Out with the Decepticon Warlord looking out at the deep blackness of space.
"Yes Knock Out. What is it? Has Airachnid already disobeyed me and killed the human I told her to interrogate already?" asked Megatron seeing the Decepticon Medic walking towards him.
"No Lord Megatron. I've actually come here to inform you of something I've just recently discovered when running some tests on the blood from our...guest," explained Knock Out with Megatron looking at him with a raised metallic eyebrow.
"Oh! You've discovered something?" asked Megatron curiously.
"Yes. It appears that the boy is not so ordinary like we first assumed," replied Knock Out and began inputting the data on the main screen for Megatron to see for himself.
"In what way Knock Out?" Megatron questioned with Knock Out putting what he had seen on the main screen so the Decepticon Warlord could see for himself.
"Our young human prisoner has Nanomachines inside of him Lord Megatron. Not just any Nanomachines either. He has techno-organic Nanomachines," stated Knock Out, as he showed Megatron his findings, and the Lord of all Decepticons was indeed finding this to be impressive.
"It appears young Jack has been hiding something from us aside from the two important secrets I desire. Oh that is most unwise young Jack. Now I have to make Airachnid try even harder to make you tell me everything," replied Megatron while grinning at this newest development.
"And here is the kicker. They were activated recently!" exclaimed Knock Out and saw Megatron was becoming intrigued further by this news.
"Continue to monitor the boy Knock Out. Run whatever tests you need once Airachnid is done with 'her Jack' for the day and have her report to me for possible changes in orders," commanded Megatron with the Medic nodding and was clearly pleased with himself in finding this for the Decepticon Leader.
'This boy is something else. I wonder if the Autobots know about this. Though I highly doubt it,' thought Knock Out smugly and would enjoy rubbing it in their faces the next time they met.
It was only fair that they know all the gory details of the boy's suffering after all.
(A/N: YAY! A new fic for all of you to enjoy. I know. I know. I should try focusing on my older fics, but I had this itch that needed to be scratched, and if I didn't it would drive me nuts like you wouldn't believe. Anyway, I hope this first chapter was to your liking, and I hope you enjoyed reading it. Until next time...PEACE!)
