"Who are you and what do you want with me?" Sumdac sank in his chair as the molten-man approached.
"You don't recognize me? After all, you stole my chances of becoming famous! I had to resort to selling steroids to drug-happy morons because of you!" Meltdown shouted.
"Prometheus?"
"My name is Meltdown!"
"I had no idea you were this upset. It's not my fault if my inventions were chosen. You could have just tried for the grant next year!"
"You don't get it do you?! That accident in the lab. It didn't just melt my body. It liquefied my mind," he clutched his head, "I can't think straight! Nothing is clear to me! And it's your fault!"
"I'm sorry Prometheus, but I just don't see how any of this is my fault!"
"I don't understand it. I'm smarter. I'm better looking. I'm more educated than you. And yet, everything you touch turns to gold," Meltdown picked up a small golden trophy, "while everything I touch—!" the trophy melted in his hand and he threw the slag out the window, "Just look at me! I've become a freak! And it's all the fault of you, Powell, Fanzone, and those accursed Autobots! And I will have my REVENGE! STARTING WITH YOOOUUU!" He raised his arms into the air and collected the slime into a ball of acid. Before he could attack Sumdac, a bolt of electricity struck him in the back.
"You seriously need counseling!" Bumblebee advised. He fired another bolt at Meltdown. He screamed in rage and threw his acid-ball at Bumblebee who ducked. The ball melted through the wall.
"Mr. Sumdac! Come with me if you want to live!" Sumdac obeyed and ran to Bumblebee. Bumblebee carried the man on his back and ran through the hole in the wall. Bumblebee opened the door and ran into the hallway to the staircase. Meltdown was hot on their trail.
"You're not going anywhere!" Meltdown shot a beam of acid but missed. Bumblebee ran to the staircase and jumped over the ledge.
"Hold on tight!" he told Sumdac. Sumdac nearly choked the teenager saving his life with his grip. Bumblebee held out his arm and grabbed onto a railing and swung down onto the staircase below. They rolled down two floors before they managed to stop.
"Why is it that I always have to be the one going on suicide missions?" Bumblebee rubbed his aching shoulders.
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"Okay, I'm pretty sure these are the controls," Sari keyed in the commands then inserted her key.
Outside, Bulkhead felt the hole tighten around his butt.
"Ungh, either I just got bigger, or this things getting smaller!" he exclaimed.
"Sari, stop! You're making it stronger!" Ratchet told her over the comlink.
"Sorry!" she responded. She tried a different command combination and inserted her key. The force field dissipated, and Bulkhead was released.
"Great job Sari!" Bulkhead thanked her. Just then, Bumblebee came out into the lobby carrying her father and breathing heavily.
"I…found…your dad," he gasped, set down Sumdac and sat down. "He should really consider losing a few pounds." Sumdac ignored that comment and ran to his daughter.
"Oh dad, I'd thought we were too late," she hugged him.
"Uhh, hate to interrupt the moment, but we've got trouble coming," Bumblebee looked up at the ceiling. Green fluid dripped a circle through the ceiling until the circle fell through and Meltdown dropped down. He looked at Sumdac and Sari.
"Don't you just love family reunions?" he smiled, "They really melt the heart. Along with other body parts." He raised his hand, outstretched his fingers and got ready to fire.
"Leave 'em alone!" Bulkhead struck Meltdown in the head with his wrecking ball.
"You wish to give them a hand? So be it!" Meltdown charged. Bulkhead caught his fists. As soon as he realized he was holding a handful of acid, Meltdown broke Bulkhead's grip, grabbed his hand, and held tight. Bulkhead howled in pain.
**************************************************************
"We've tried everything! How're we supposed to stop him?!" Prime ducked behind a fallen truck to hide from Colossus, but he appeared over his head.
"More than you've got!" he leapt into the air and smashed his fist down. He missed Optimus, but smacked him away with another blow. Optimus flew into a church tower and banged on the bell. The sound of it drove Rhodes nuts and caused his pods to shoot sparks.
"The bell!" Prowl gained an idea, "Hit it again!" Optimus caught on and activated his axe. He banged it against the bell. Colossus clenched his ears.
"The frequency must disrupt his techno-organic circuits," Ratchet used his magnetizers to bring down the bell right over Rhodes' head. Optimus leapt down and continued his sonic onslaught. The lights on Rhodes' pods went off, and he began to shrink.
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Meltdown finally released Bulkhead from his grip. He fell to the ground and twitched in pain.
"Heh heh heh, see how easily I bring you to your knees?" he outstretched his palm, "Now watch as I turn you into molten slag." Just as he shot out his acid, Bumblebee leapt into the way and took the blast in the side. Bumblebee grabbed his side.
"Well, that takes care of two annoyances," Meltdown trotted over to the Sumdacs, "Now it's your turn!"
"I don't think so!" Optimus threw his axe at Meltdown. It cut off half his head, but it quickly grew back.
"That… was… uncalled for," Meltdown fired his acid at the Autobots.
"Any suggestions on how to stop him?" Prowl asked Prime.
"How about the one thing that stopped us?"
"Sari, the auto-defense field!" Ratchet threw some jumper cables to her, then attached the other end to his magnetizers. She caught them and ran over the control panel. She attached them to some wires and activated the field. The energy traveled through the wires, out Ratchet's magnetizers, and surrounded Meltdown in a force field. He tried to melt it, but only filled the bubble with his slime.
"I say we let him stew in his own juices," Ratchet smirked.
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"Well, you sure were a big help Bulkhead," Bumblebee said sarcastically. Sari rubbed her key over Bulkhead's burned hands. The wounds healed quickly.
"Gotta admit kid," Ratchet patted Bumblebee on the back, "for a little guy, you've got a lotta heart."
"That was a brave thing you did for Bulkhead today," Prime congratulated, "and I'm pretty sure he owes you an apology." Prime gave Bulkhead a look.
"Yeah yeah I'm sorry about messin with ya. I was just havin a little fun," Bulkhead said.
"Little?" Bumblebee looked at Bulkhead, "Did you just say 'little'?"
"What? No! Well yes. But no I didn't mean—"
"I may be small, but I'm scrappy! And I can run circles around your sorry, big butt!" Bumblebee jumped onto the desk and struck poses he'd seen in Kung-Fu movies. "I've got major skills!"
"He's gonna be impossible to live with," Sari concluded.
"Definitely," Ratchet agreed while Bumblebee amused himself with various poses and "Wah, ho, ha!" sounds. Until, of course, he fell off and landed on his chin. Everyone else in the lobby laughed, except Bumblebee.
"That's not funny!" he yelled.
