Hello everyone! I finished chapter four! Woohoo! XD
Thank you to everyone who's faved, followed, read and reviewed! The support is appreciated! I hope you all will continue to let me know if you like the story, and if you have any ideas for it!
Also, someone asked if I plan on writing one of these using the Prime universe 'bots! And the answer? *Shrug* I dunno! Lol, Let's see how this story turns out first and if I can get more than the same three reviewers to review XD
Disclaimer's on my prof.!
Translations:
High Maka Maka - High maintenance/Stuck up
Mahalo - Thank you/Thanks
Enjoy reading and please review!
The 'bots had been searching for over a day now.
The war had given the Autobots the ability to go for long periods of time without recharge, but Sideswipe could still feel the beginnings of weariness at the edges of his processor. It had been a long time since he'd had to stay awake for more than twenty-four hours, and having to trip around a dense woodland in the middle of the night didn't help any, night-vision or not.
But still, the past twenty-four hours (correction, twenty-six, Sideswipe noted as he checked his internal chronometer) had been spent searching for Soundwave.
No luck on that front, though. No matter where they searched, the 'bots had found no indication of the Decepticon they sought. It was no surprise though, with how elusive Soundwave was known to be it could take anywhere to seventy-two hours worth of searching, unless they got lucky.
Glancing up at the sun, Sideswipe guessed they had a couple hours left of sunlight. Having no desire to tromp through uncharted wilderness in the dark a second night in a row, Sideswipe picked up his pace, following 'Bee and Jazz down a slope.
The 'bots had split into two pairs early on the prior evening: Optimus and Ironhide as one team and Jazz, Sideswipe and Bumblebee on the other. They kept close, within a ten minute run of each other, but it still allowed them the ability to cover more ground in less time. It hadn't done them much, though.
Reaching the bottom of the steep slope, the three 'bots took to searching the clearing. The only way out of this area was back up the slope, the rest of the clearing was surrounded by a steep cliff. Here the trees were less dense, and they could move without having to duck under branches. Everything was lush and green, just as it was everywhere else. Above, a colorful bird crooned, garnering young Bumblebee's attention, and the young mech stared at the feathered creature with both awe and delight, waggling his digits in front of the bird. Jazz chuckled while Sideswipe, rolling his optics, continued to survey the area.
Something was out of place here, but what? It wasn't something obvious, something no one would look for without thinking...
Bright blue optics zeroed in on a patch of the cliff face where there was no vine overgrowth of foliage. Among the rest of the area, with its lush canopy and vast expanse of greenery, the patch of wall was uncharacteristically clear of any organic material. Frowning, Sideswipe moved to the cliffside and examined it more closely.
And there, hardly discernible against the craggy rock, was the thin line that signaled an entrance to...To something. A base or a safehouse, something like that. It made sense now, how Soundwave had managed to avoid detection and why it had
"Jazz! I think I- 'Bee, quit playing with that fraggin' parrot and get over here!"
'Bee huffed but moved over. Jazz chuckled, shaking his head good-naturedly as he followed.
"Wassup, Sides'?"
"See for yourself."
The three examined the crack in the wall and the dim light that was filtering through. Jazz became serious.
Pressing a digit to his lip plates in a signal to be silent, the saboteur opened a private com channel between their group and Ironhide and Optimus.
"'Ey boss bot, we've got somethin' here. Think you can come t' our position?"
The Prime's reply was immediate.
"On our way. Do not proceed until Ironhide and I have reached you."
Replying affirmatively, Jazz cut the com connection. A heavy silence fell, Sideswipe already feeling the familiar itch at his spinal struts- the anticipation of battle, while 'Bee fidgeted, clearly antsy. Jazz was relaxed, but his joking nature had slipped away to be replaced with the deadly saboteur persona many 'cons had learned to fear.
Thankfully, it only remained this way for seven minutes. Optimus and Ironhide slid down the slope before eight minutes had even passed, and the presence of their leader did wonders for the tense 'bots by the cliffside. At the raised optic-ridge Optimus gave, Sideswipe jabbed his thumb in the direction of the cliff face. The Prime moved forward with Ironhide, and both large mech's inspected the wall. Optimus then turned to the others, using hand signals to give orders: Ironhide and Sideswipe were to blast through and go in first, while Jazz would bring up the rear and 'Bee and Optimus would take the sides. The others nodded in understanding, quickly moving into position and waiting for Optimus' signal to blast through. Optimus nodded to Ironhide and Sideswipe.
Two well-aimed blasts blew the rock open, revealing a large cavern. Tall enough for even Optimus to stand in without having to duck, the cavern could've fit a dozen Cybertronians with little discomfort. Consoles and monitors lined the walls of the cavern and a single, large light above lit the area dimly. Cautiously entering, the 'bots found that the hidden safehouse was unoccupied, but someone had been here, judging by the dried energon stains on the walls and floor and the discarded welder and laser-scalpel in the corner. A Cybertronian had most definitely been here, and had been doing medical work and surveillance. Once sure they were safe, Ironhide looked back to the others.
"We're clear. He ain' here, but it looks like he was."
While the Optimus and Ironhide examined the medical equipment,'Bee went to keep watch at the entrance and Sideswipe and Jazz went to examine the monitors and consoles.
"Frag, looks like Soundwave's got tabs on th' whole town, prob'ly tapped int' th' traffic an' security cameras 'round th' city."
"That means he knew we were coming. Why would he leave all these consoles and monitors on? Why not wipe all the data?"
Jazz shrugged.
"All this stuff prob'ly doesn' have anythin' t' do with whateva' his mission is. This was all prob'ly jus' so he wouldn' get caught off guard is all. Any real important stuff he had on these is prob'ly all gone now."
While Jazz went to join Optimus and Ironhide, Sideswipe remained at the consoles, frowning. Something just seemed...Really off. Soundwave was one sneaky glitch-spawn, he wouldn't have been careless in hiding his safehouse, he wouldn't have left these consoles and monitors on- the light that had shown through the crack of the hidden door would've been something Soundwave wouldn't have overlooked, as it was a dead giveaway to this safehouse's location if one noticed.
It was like Soundwave wanted them to find this place, wanted them to know something was going to happen. And that was worrying. If the silent Decepticon had been watching Kapaa, he should've known by now that the 'bots knew he was there and that would've made the 'con retreat to a location where he couldn't be found or reached. He'd been discovered to be online still, something he was no doubt unhappy about-...
Bright blue optics paused on a particular screen. Compared to the others, this monitor was small and insignificant at first glance. The security feed kept changing, seeming to be randomly jumping from camera to camera, but Sideswipe looked closer and found that the feed wasn't random, it was tracking someone.
Someone with whitish-blonde hair.
Koa.
Soundwave was a very strange mech, but there was one thing he held in common with all other Decepticons: a thirst for revenge. And now it all made sense.
Soundwave had wanted them to find the safehouse- Soundwave was finished with it, so it didn't matter if the Autobots located it. He wanted to draw them away from Kapaa, draw them deep into the woodlands where none of the 'bots could use their alt modes. Soundwave was allowing himself a momentary distraction from whatever his mission was, and that distraction was the boy who had dared to provide the Autobot's with evidence that he was still online, the boy who'd destroyed the seven year facade that Soundwave was dead. And with the 'bots so isolated, it would take them too long to reach Kapaa, providing SOundwave the chance to extract revenge and vanish again before the Autobots could do anything.
And he wanted the 'bots to know it.
"He's going after Koa!"
The statement, so out-of-the-blue, caught the others off guard. Optimus frowned as he moved over to the silver-plated warrior.
"What?"
"The-the kid!" Sideswipe gestured quickly at the small monitor screen that was set to follow Koa. "Soundwave's going to kill him! I-I mean the kid pretty much proved that he's still alive, Soundwave isn't going to let him get away with that without getting back at the kid somehow! The fragger even left that monitor on so we'd be stuck having to watch him kill the kid!"
Optimus quickly understood what Sideswipe meant, seeing Soundwave's plan himself now. The Prime turned to the others, faceplates serious and a rare anger flaring behind cobalt blue optics. Even Optimus could not deny anger at the idea of a child being purposefully harmed.
"Autobots, roll out!"
The sky was beginning to become stained with varying hues of gold, red, pink, orange and yellow as the sun started reaching towards the horizon. The air was crisp and warm, providing the perfect evening for those who wished to be outside.
Koa himself was enjoying the last lingering light of the day on the main shore near the city. It wasn't as nice as the beach by the orphanage, as it didn't get the same towering waves and was a little too close to a reef for anyones comfort, but he wasn't there for the water. No, he was there to simply laze about. With a beach blanket under him, Koa lay on the shore, half-dozing as he soaked up the last warm rays of the sun. At this late in the evening, no one else was around, everyone at their homes and having dinner by now.
But Koa, having convinced Aika that he wasn't hungry, had managed to escape to the warm sand and cool sea breeze for the evening, or at least until dark.
Koa sighed, steel-colored eyes opening, and he stared up at the cloudless sky with a somber expression. He wondered if the Autobots had found that Decepticon yet. No one had seen the large robotic beings since the day before, and Koa didn't know if that was a good thing or not.
Frowning, the teen sat up and violently shook his head. Why should he care? It wasn't like he was friends with them, he'd just spent about an hour with them, given them a photograph, that was all. And that one 'bot who'd helped look for the photo had acted all high maka maka, as if he was better than everyone! It didn't matter that he'd been kind of funny, or that he'd been one of the only people he'd ever really talked to aside from Aika and Makai in the past decade...
"Don't be stupid, Koa." The teen scolded himself under his breath, brows furrowed. "Just forget about it. It isn't like you'll ever see them again, anyway."
And for some reason, the brutal admission left a bitter taste in his mouth.
With a sigh, Koa stood, running a hand through his messy locks. He'd best get back to the orphanage now, unless he wanted to get in trouble-
A strangled gasp left Koa when something cold and metal wrapped tightly around his right leg and yanked.
Hitting the ground with a thud, the sand did little to cushion the boy's fall, and spots danced through his vision. It took Koa a moment to realize he was being dragged quickly towards the city, and the thing that was wrapped around his leg was a metal coil, reminiscent of an Octopus' tentacle. Koa struggled fiercely, trying to pull his leg free. His resistance wasn't appreciated, apparently, as the boy found himself slammed against a lightpole. Koa was momentarily stunned as pain darted up his spine and the air left his lungs. It took him a second to remember how to breathe again.
And still he was being dragged in, now across the pavement of the city streets and sidewalks. The cement bit into the teen's skin, leaving angry red scratches in their wake. Koa tried to struggle once more, but was smacked against a wall of a building, the teen almost knocked unconscious. Yet the boy managed to regain his senses, even as pain throbbed in his side and a gash on his head bled freely. This time Koa didn't try to struggle again, knowing he wouldn't stay conscious if he was slammed into anything else.
Finally the dragging stopped and the boy was held aloft, dangling upsidedown by his leg. Koa's chest heaved as he fought to regain his breath, each intake of air making his ribs ache in protest. It took him a moment, but Koa managed to recognize that he was in an alleyway, and before him, in the fading light of the sun...
Was a Decepticon. The same one the 'bots were after.
Koa knew he should scream for help, but at the moment he was just trying to make sure he stayed conscious, a feat made considerably harder with how all the blood was rushing to his head.
The silent Decepticon lifted Koa up higher until the child was only a foot from his faceplates, and Koa gulped while the 'con examined him.
"Wh-...What do you want..?" Koa asked, voice cracking in his dry throat. The Decepticon didn't reply, only tilting his helm slightly as he considered the boy. Koa froze as the metal coil at his legs shifted, taking hold of both his legs and his torso. Panic settled firmly in Koa's pained mind.
"L-let go of me you son of a-!"
The coil around the boy suddenly tightened into a bone-crushing grip. A strangled cry of pain left Koa, his bones feeling as if they would crack at any moment. This was it, wasn't it? This was how he was going to die. He'd narrowly avoided death at five, and it seemed he wasn't about to get lucky a second time-
"Leave him the FRAG ALONE!"
A large blade sliced through the metal coil that held Koa, severing the appendage. Koa yelped as he fell, but was caught by a large, metal hand before he could hit the ground.
Koa coughed roughly as he tried to drag air into his lungs. His entire body was in pain, and blood was trickling down the side of his face from the gash in his head. The sounds of fighting came, and Koa looked up in time to see the Optimus Prime and three other Autobots chasing after the Decepticon as the 'con in question retreated. Koa turned his head up and found he was being held by the silver 'bot with wheeled feet, the one who's holoform had helped look for the photo the day before. Even as his chest heaved and his body ached, Koa couldn't help but stare up at the 'bot with wonder and relief. In return, the silver frontliner looked over Koa quickly, concerned (not that he'd ever admit that he was worried). Seeing the scratches, already appearing bruises and the deep gash in the boy's head that stained the once light blonde locks a deep crimson, the 'bot cursed.
"Frag it, you're leaking!"
"I-I'm okay." Koa tried to reassure the mech, despite how his teeth chattered with the lingering fear and adrenaline. "Y-you should go h-help them get that 'c-con."
The silver mech scoffed.
"Not gonna happen, kid. They'll be fine without me."
Koa frowned, but he couldn't deny it was...nice, not being alone while in pain and secretly terrified.
"I remember you from yesterday." Koa stated, earning an enquiring look from the 'bot that held him. No doubt it was such a random thing to say at a time like this, but right now Koa just wanted to feel some sense or normalcy. "You were that guy who helped me find the picture. Your name's Sideways, or something like that..."
Even in this situation, Sideswipe couldn't hold back a bark of laughter.
"Sideswipe, kid. Not Sideways, Sideswipe."
Koa managed a weary smile as he leaned back against the metal digits that were curled behind him.
"Okay. Sideswipe." A pause, then, "Mahalo, Sideswipe."
A dry look from Sideswipe.
"Remember yesterday, when we established I don't know that language?"
Koa laughed slightly, though the sound caused pain to lace his throat, making him cough. He recovered quickly.
"Mahalo." He repeated, smiling. "It means thank you."
