I will be going on a trip -again with the annoying person, trust me this is against my will to be near her I want to enjoy my vacation- soon so I will try to upload again before I leave. Here you go beware this chapter is long...

Chapter 7

They drove to where Bee had picked up Sentinel's signal. It didn't take them long to find the number 316 of an old model of a Fire Rescue engine. Sam got out of Bee and walked to the median under a vacant overpass they had stopped at. He called Mearing and told her what was happening.

"Mearing, I just picked up Sentinel, Optimus is ten minutes behind, we're coming to NEST now," Rachel heard Sam half yell over the roar of the fire truck's diesel engine as it drove by.

Sam waited until Sentinel had passed then darted back to Bumblebee and got in the driver's seat next to Rachel. Sam didn't say anything for a while and Rachel figured it was Mearing talking.

"Listen, the whole thing has been a setup since the beginning, the Decepticons wanted Optimus to find Sentinel because only Optimus could revive him," Sam said.

There was a short pause as Mearing spoke.

"Mearing, you have five pillars, I just learned that they have hundreds! You're doing exactly what they wanted you to do. What do you need me to say to you? The Decepticons are coming for Sentinel Prime!" Sam said angrily then ended the call.

Sentinel was in front, Bumblebee was in between Sideswipe and Mirage, making a protective line behind Sentinel, Simmons behind the row of Autobots. The Autobots drove quickly, trying to get back to NEST before the Decepticons learned they were onto their plan. Rachel's phone started ringing beside her at the same time she heard sirens in the distance.

"Lennox?" Rachel answered.

"Rachel, where are you?" Lennox asked hastily.

"Driving down the D.C parkway," Rachel answered.

Lennox muttered something inaudible, "We just picked up an Energon reading there, three black Suburbans. Rachel, get off of that road now!"

"Shit! We can't! Lennox, they're right behind us!" Rachel exclaimed as the police Suburbans sped up behind them, they're lights and sirens blaring.

"Rachel, let the Autobots take care of it, you'll be fine, just stay calm," Lennox said. "You're almost here."

"Are you trying to assure me or yourself?" Rachel asked with a nervous laugh.

The truth was, she was scared, even though she'd been through this what seemed like a thousand times it still chilled her to know Decepticons were in close range of her. If the Decepticons didn't kill her, Ironhide would.

"Be careful, please," Lennox said.

As soon as the line went dead Rachel turned to Sam.

"Decepticons!" she yelled pointing to the Suburbans behind them.

Suddenly, the closest of the three Suburbans transformed running down the road after them. It grabbed Simmons, throwing him out of his car. The Decepticon rolled and jumped over an sign over the road, knocking it down. Rachel saw that the Decepticon had tentacle-like things coming off of it back, almost like hair. She saw as Dutch stopped the white car in front of the fallen road sign, but the other Suburbans used it like a ramp, transforming in the air. Two of the Decepticons ran after the Autobots, the other on all fours that looked like a tiger.

"Bee, you gotta get Sentinel out of here! You got to guard him!" Sam yelled.

These Decepticons weren't small in any manner, they were huge, but Rachel trusted the Autobots.

The Decepticons ran down the highway, barreling through anything in their path. They got closer and closer to the Autobots who continued to drive at top speed. As the Decepticons came behind the Autobots, Bumblebee stopped suddenly and one of the Decepticons jumped over him. Sideswipe and Bumblebee partially transformed to where their weapons were out, but they were still their cars. Bumblebee shot at the Decepticons, Sideswipe shooting missiles at them. Mirage transformed, jumping over a demolished car and hooked lines on the tiger Decepticon.

"Got you!" Mirage said laughing as the Decepticon pulled him down the parkway like he was skiing.

"Shoot him! Shoot him! Shoot him, Bee!" Sam yelled.

Bumblebee shot missiles at the Decepticon, Mirage pulling the Decepticon into another car, snapping its head off. The other Decepticons were still ahead of the Autobots leaving a wave of demolished, flipping cars. Bumblebee vaulted over one of the cars in his path, going high in the air before landing on the road again, Side swipe following. Bee and Sideswipe transformed back into their cars, Mirage speeding up behind them. One of the Decepticons had transformed back into its Suburban, the other running in front of it.

"Bee, you've gotta move faster! Faster, Bee, go!" Sam yelled.

Rachel gasped as the Decepticon turned over a truck with what looked like helium tanks on it. Mirage was far enough ahead of them to be able to dodge the truck, but Rachel knew Bee wouldn't be able to avoid the truck unless...

"Bee!" Sam exclaimed flinching.

Bee transformed all the way, jumping over the overturned truck, Rachel and Sam thrown into the air away from him. Bee grabbed Sam and something grabbed Rachel. There were flashes of silver and black, Rachel's vision blurred by the speed of the colors' movements. Rachel suddenly found herself sitting in the passenger's seat of the silver Corvette.

"Sideswipe!" Rachel exclaimed happily.

The Corvette sped at top speed back to the NEST base after the red Ferrari.

The Decepticons were right behind Sideswipe as he and Mirage drove down the road leading right to the NEST base. Rachel could see it as the gates opened, letting the black Topkick out. Rachel was thrown from Sideswipe as he transformed, skating on his wheeled feet backwards.

"Mirage, I got 'em!" Sideswipe said shooting at the Decepticons.

Rachel rolled down the street, hitting the edge of the sidewalk. She was surprised she hadn't been hurt when she got up and started running down the sidewalk. She saw Bumblebee pull out from another road and pass the Topkick as it sped at the Suburbans. Rachel ran through a group of women as they screamed and ran away from the action. Rachel stopped, seeing the Topkick heading straight for the Suburbans, she knew he wouldn't stop. The Topkick collided with the two Suburbans, all three transforming. Rachel could clearly see the Decepticons had gotten the worst of it, both had crashed into the ground. Sideswipe came back to help Ironhide as the Decepticons started to get up. Ironhide and Sideswipe both pulled their guns out, each pointing a gun at the Decepticons, the Decepticons pointing a gun at each Autobot.

"Is there a problem?" Ironhide said.

"Whoa, a little Mexican standoff we got here," Sideswipe said.

"Weapons down," Ironhide said.

"And we'll let you escape with your dignity," Sideswipe added.

The Decepticons made noises to each other, like they were talking, and Rachel would have bet it was Cybertronian.

"Drop 'em!" Ironhide demanded.

All at once both Autobot and Decepticon dropped their weapons, the huge guns clanking on the ground. Rachel smiled, rolling her eyes, Ironhide seemed to always get his way.

"That's good," Sideswipe said.

Suddenly, a weapon transformed from one of the Decepticons and he threw the spiked weapon at Ironhide.

"Ironhide, watch out!" Sideswipe yelled.

He was too late, the weapon struck Ironhide in the shoulder.

"Ironhide!" Rachel exclaimed.

The Decepticon threw another of the spiked weapons at Sideswipe, but Sideswipe had been prepared. Sideswipe jumped in the air, cutting the weapon in half with one of his blades.

"Ironhide, catch!" he said landing, turning and kicking one of the guns on the ground to Ironhide.

Ironhide caught the gun and turned, shooting the Decepticon that was jumping at him.

"Behind you!" Sideswipe yelled.

Sideswipe fought off the other Decepticon with his blades, Ironhide turned and shot the Decepticon with the gun. The Decepticon kicked Sideswipe away and lunged at Ironhide. Ironhide was prepared this time and pulled the spiked weapon out of his shoulder and impaled the Decepticon in the face with it. He grabbed the edge of the weapon, picking up the Decepticon.

"Decepticon punk," Ironhide said throwing the Decepticon into a car.

He kicked the car into a building, the building exploding in flames.

"Class dismissed," Ironhide said replacing his weapons.

Rachel climbed in the Topkick when it stopped next to her; she knew she'd get a good talking to when the intensity died down. Ironhide drove back to NEST, the other Autobots speeding through the gates outside the building. Ironhide flanked Sentinel as the fire engine drove through the gates.

"Get inside, let's go!" Rachel heard Lennox yell.

Ironhide stopped and Rachel climbed out of the Topkick, she walked over to Lennox at the same time as Sam. Rachel could see Lennox wasn't happy at all, this was complete insanity.

"Lennox..." Rachel started.

"Lennox! We got Decepticons everywhere," Sam said.

"I've got my whole team deployed looking for them. Ironhide! Protect Sentinel, get him locked up inside!" Lennox said.

Ironhide had transformed and was standing in front of Sentinel.
"Consider it done!" Ironhide said.

Sentinel also started to transform.

"Hey, you gotta guard him, 'cause he's the key to the whole thing," Sam said to Lennox.

Rachel nodded in agreement to Lennox.

"Indeed, I am," Sentinel said.

Rachel turned in horror, the way he said it sent chills down her.

No, she thought, her worst fears starting to form into a reality.

"What you must realize, my Autobot brothers, is that we were never going to win the war," Sentinel continued.

Rachel saw Sam and Lennox look at him with the same wide eyes as herself.

Shit, no! she thought.

She had a feeling about what was going on and she didn't want to believe it was true. She could only watch in horror.

"For the sake of our planet's survival a deal had to be made," Sentinel continued turning away from them.

Rachel could have sworn she'd seen him draw a-

"With Megatron!" Sentinel finished.

"NO!" the horrible scream tore from Rachel's lips before she could stop it as Sentinel turned and shot Ironhide in the back.

Sentinel had shot Ironhide again before anyone else besides Rachel had realized what had just happened. Ironhide fell to the ground.

"Get back!" Lennox yelled but Rachel didn't move, she was in too much shock.

"What have you done!" Ironhide said to Sentinel.

"I hereby discharge you from duty," Sentinel said shooting Ironhide again in the chest.

Bumblebee -who had come up to them- was blown back from the blast. Rachel was thrown the ground by the blast, as were Sam and Lennox, but immediately got up. She could only stand there, speechless, watching as her whole world was torn apart. Bumblebee dodged the shots Sentinel sent at him, trying to get away. Sam's cries out to Bumblebee were muted to Rachel, she stood there unmoving. She caught Ironhide's glance for one second. He rolled his eyes at her, feigning normalcy, Rachel held back her tears and responded normally deciding to play his game, mock-rolling her eyes to Ironhide as if to tease "Oh, get up you're fine," but she knew things were by no means "fine."

"Rachel!" Lennox yelled.

Rachel took one last look at Ironhide before Lennox pulled her to the ground, shielding her as Sentinel fired more shots at the NEST forces. Lennox quickly got up, pulling Rachel along behind a wall where Sam was also hiding.

"Rally all NEST forces back to the base!" Lennox yelled at one of the soldiers.

"Come on!" he yelled pulling Sam and Rachel into the base.

Tears -that had been held back by shock- flooded Rachel's eyes when she stopped inside the base. The center of her whole world had just died, sending her sobbing uncontrollably. She looked around seeing the NEST soldiers she had worked with clustered in the entrance to the base, pulling their injured comrades to safety.

"Get a medic down here!" one of the soldiers yelled.

"Alright, we don't have enough men! Do not engage Sentinel!" Lennox yelled.

He ran through the base, Rachel and Sam following him. They got to the hangar and what Rachel saw was complete chaos. Sentinel was demolishing every single aircraft and vehicle in the hangar, making it roar with flames of the explosions. The NEST soldiers fired at him in vain, he was unstoppable. To make it even better Mearing burst through the door behind Rachel, walking past her and next to the railing of the balcony.

"Hey, Sentinel! What is going on! What do you think you're doing!" Mearing yelled.

One of the soldiers fired a missile at Sentinel, but he blocked it with his shield.

"I am a Prime! I do not take orders from you!" Sentinel fired back.

Lennox ran from Rachel's side and pulled Mearing back.

"Director Mearing, come on. We can't fight him, let's go, we have to go," Lennox said.

"Now, return what belongs to me!" Sentinel exclaimed.

"Oh, my God!" Mearing exclaimed, letting Lennox pull her away.

Sam came with them as they left the hangar, leaving Sentinel as he transformed and drove away. The red and blue semi pulled into the hangar, and for once Rachel found herself mad at Optimus. He had been more than ten minutes behind and could have helped a great deal, but he hadn't been there when he had been needed most. Shock, sadness, and anger were clouding Rachel's head, making it spin.

"Is everybody out?" Lennox yelled.

The semi stopped and transformed, Rachel could see the sadness on Optimus' face as he stood at his full height. He looked around the hangar, seeing the carnage Sentinel had caused. She felt bad for getting mad at him, though, she figured she hadn't really been mad; her mind was just being assaulted by conflicted emotions.

"Yeah, take a look, Optimus! This all on you!" Mearing yelled.

Rachel's emotions exploded in a fury at Mearing.

"Shut up! Optimus was just betrayed by the one he looked up to most! You are just kicking him while he's down! Don't even begin to blame him for this, because half of it was your fault!" Rachel yelled unable to hide her true feelings toward the woman any longer.

Mearing, Sam, and Lennox looked at Rachel in shock before she bolted down the steps into the hangar to Optimus.

Behind her Rachel heard a soldier report to Lennox.

"Sentinel hit the vault, took the pillars," the soldier said.

Lennox kicked the wall, walking away after the soldiers. Rachel turned back to Optimus, he turned to leave.

"Optimus, please," Rachel said.

He looked back at her.

"Let me go with you," she said.

"Rachel..."

"I know you're going after Sentinel," Rachel said.

"Its too dangerous, Rachel, stay with NEST..."

"He killed Ironhide! Optimus, please, I want to stop him as much as you do," Rachel sobbed.

She was sick of people and the Autobots telling her things were too dangerous, now she no longer cared for her own safety; all she wanted was revenge.

Yeah this was a tough chapter to write, mainly considering that I did NOT want to watch that scene over and over to get the wording and actions right. Ironhide was without a doubt my favorite Transformer along with Bumblebee, this part killed me when I first watched it in theaters. It wasn't hard to convey Rachel's emotions in this part. Anyway I am a few sentences away from completely finishing this fanfic...it's very bitter-sweet but I also have tons of other to write. I do have a feeling though that this was my favorite of the ones ive written, maybe not the best because it was also the first real fanfic I wrote. New uploads will occur consistently..if I can remember.

If you want a little slightly depressing fact for this... the twins -who were originally were supposed to be in the movie- were also written to die from sentinel's hand in this scene protecting bumblebee. I am rly not liking the writers for this movie right now...