I intend for the next chapter to be the last one. Plus an epilogue of course.
Thoughts and criticisms are encouraged and appreciated.
There had been a rockslide. It appeared to have taken out few of MECH's vehicles. The jeeps had been swept into the trees and were sitting, half buried in the piles of rocks and dust that also covered the road. Other than those metal frames they could see protruding from the dirt, there didn't seem to be any sign of MECH. And no sign of Bulkhead or Miko either.
Arcee furrowed her brow angrily and looked away from the rock pile. She'd allowed herself at least a little optimism by hoping that they'd find some sort of lead. Well, there were skid and track marks in the dirt, bullet holes, a scorched crater where a missile had apparently been launched... but there wasn't even any indication that Bulkhead and Miko were still alive. This did not bode well.
The femme turned back to face Optimus. The Prime was looking down at a coordinate scanner in his servo. "Is that thing telling you anything useful?"
"I have pulled up the coordinates of the mine where we located Bumblebee. When compared to our current location-" he lowered the scanner and looked down the road, "It's most likely that MECH was headed in that direction."
"That is, if they even kept to the road," Arcee added, following his gaze. She then quickly transformed and started down the dirt path. "We'd better hurry."
Optimus stashed the scanner in a subspace compartment and followed suit. As they drove, keeping their optics peeled for any potential clues, Arcee felt a queasy churning in her fuel tanks. She tried not to think too much on it, but still... she felt absolutely sick that Bulkhead and Miko were in danger because of Knockout. And she'd stuck up for him too. On multiple occasions. Had she been wrong in doing that?
It sure hadn't felt that way at the time. After all, Knockout had saved Jack when he didn't have to. And then he'd helped Bulkhead come to her and Ratchet's rescue... This betrayal didn't seem to make sense with his earlier actions.
Although if what Bumblebee and Ratchet said was true, the reason he had turned on them was because Breakdown had returned and was working with MECH. That certainly would explain it, but... well, she had a bit of experience in the area of having partners miraculously come back from the dead. She figured Bee or Ratchet lacked a certain perspective. They had made it sound as though Knockout had gone out, skipping and laughing maniacally, to join Breakdown and MECH on some sort of killing spree... but she knew better. She knew that feeling- that hope that you might actually see someone you thought you'd lost- that was enough to make a stronger 'Bot than Knockout do some questionable things.
Except, she also knew that partners don't just jump back online willy-nilly. Whatever had happened, dark energon or some sort of shady experimentation by MECH, she was almost certain that it had gotten Knockout in just as much trouble as Bulk and Miko... but Bulk and Miko were still in trouble! And it was because of him! So just because she understood why he did it didn't mean she was about to forgive him for being so selfish.
Her forgiveness wasn't the issue, though. It was the Prime's. And he didn't even seem to be in an understanding mood. If they found them- when they found them, she mentally corrected herself, Optimus wasn't going to be interested in hearing excuses about lost partners or experiments by MECH. And she wasn't going to stick up for him either, she decided. No, this time Knockout was on his own.
Once what was previously GT-06 had left the room with the other two Vehicon shells and the large metal door slid back into place, Silas turned and headed to the back of the room. On a platform there, Vee and two other engineers were fussing around a complex looking machine, part of which was hooked up to a semi-circular chip identical to the one that had just smothered the spark of GT-06.
Knockout glared after Silas, but once he began speaking to Vee, he looked away. Okay so there was no Breakdown here. Not really. It still felt like he was still trying to process that information, but dwelling on it right now was not a good idea. After all, he still hadn't come up with any sort of feasible escape plan. There was also the issue of a Vehicon being murdered and turned into one of MECH's agents right in front of his optics. That whole spectacle had been a bit... unnerving. He didn't really want to think about what that meant for him.
But still, the clock was ticking, and he needed to think of something! So that whole thing with GT-06 had... well, uh, it had happened. So what had Knockout learned from it? He'd learned that MECH was going to rip him open and turn him into- No! No, not that... what had he actually learned?
Well, he learned that they used some sort of device attached to the spark chamber to control Cybertronian bodies... they had at least two other Vehicons converted already... these slabs they were strapped to could conduct electricity and force Cybertronians to partially transform... and the controls for the slabs were-
Knockout twisted his helm around, trying to get a look at the platform behind him. That was it! Somehow he had to get at that panel to free himself... Trouble was, he couldn't even manage to get a good look at the platform, let alone reach it... Then his optics drifted slightly and landed on the pink haired little girl still ziptied to the banister nearby. Miko was glaring over at Silas and the MECH engineers with her fists clenched. Those binds on her wrists looked weak enough to break... although humans were pretty weak, so Knockout wouldn't be surprised if Miko couldn't manage to free herself. Even so, he was having a hard time coming up with any better way to get at the controls.
"Miko!" Knockout called out to her, trying to keep his voice low.
Miko immediately shifted her glare over to him. "What do you want?"
"Can you get out of those bonds?"
"If I could d'ya think I'd still be in 'em?!" Miko replied rather loudly, making a show of tugging at the ties.
"Quiet you!" The MECH agent who was guarding her (and also standing quite a ways off and not actually paying her any attention) shot an irritated glare at the girl. Then he quickly looked towards the back of the room again, trying to see what was going on over there. Although his posture actually made him look a bit nervous.
Knockout glanced at him, but seeing the human had lost interest he continued, "The controls to this slab are on that platform there- You have to get over to them and release me. It's our only way out of here!"
"Even if I could get myself free," Miko said, keeping her voice quieter this time, "why would I release you? Bulkhead's right over there.I'd go help him."
Knockout glanced over at Bulkhead. He was still struggling in vain against his bonds and causing a bit of a racket doing so. Yeah that would be great; let the idiot Wrecker be their only chance for escape. If Bulkhead got out instead of them escaping, he'd probably just get pounded by Breakd- Silas. by Silas. But he'd already decided notto think about that right now...
Knockout clenched his jaw tightly for a moment before he spoke up again. "Listen you little-" he paused and collected himself. No, yelling was a bad idea. After all, he wasn't angry at her... Okay so maybe he was a bit, but being angry wasn't to help. "Listen Miko," he continued, his voice much calmer than a moment before. "I hate to say it, but you're our best option right now. You have to get out of those bonds, and when you do, you'd be doing all of us a favor by releasing mefirst. For whatever reason they put you closer to me, and from where you are, you probably wouldn't be able to make it over to Bulkhead's controls before they caught you."
Miko said nothing for a long moment, then looked towards Bulkhead. He was still trying to free himself, but he looked over and met her gaze. He definitely looked worried... Finally, Miko huddled closer to the railing and started pulling her arms against the zip ties holding her. When she spoke again the usual bite in her voice seemed a little forced.
"What's... to stop you... from- ow..." She winced from the strain on her wrists, but continued. "From just... ditching me and Bulk... once you're free?"
"I won't." Knockout said simply.
"Why... Why should I trust you?"
"Because you don't have a choice."
"Promise me!" Miko stopped pulling for a moment and stared intently at Knockout. "You have to promise me you'll help Bulkhead once I let you go."
Knockout just quietly returned her stare for a moment before replying, "Fine... I promise."
Apparently satisfied, Miko went back to fussing with the zipties on her wrists. For another minute or so, she continued to struggle in silence with only a quiet 'ow' or sharp intakes of air every once in awhile. Though for all the pain she was causing herself, it still didn't seem like she was going to be able to do it. Knockout let out a quiet sigh and started looking around again. "Guess I'd better come up with a plan B..." he mumbled. "Do either of you have-" He stopped short at the sound of heavy, metallic footfalls drawing close. His helm snapped back around to watch as Silas approached them.
"Agent Dymas," Silas immediately addressed the MECH agent, "the engineers are ready for you. I'll take over here."
"Yes sir..." Dymas looked warily at the platform where Vee and the others were waiting for him. He took a long, deep breath and started towards them. Silas didn't watch him leave. Rather, once he'd issued his orders, his gaze fell immediately on Knockout. The walking abomination, as Knockout had decided he was, didn't say anything. He merely stood there, keepings his optics locked on the medic. Knockout remained silent as well and merely returned the glare.
That look he had- while Knockout couldn't keep the snarl off his face, Silas appeared calmly neutral but somehow still maintained an air of disdain and superiority... Ugh. What an awful expression. And he hated that it was on that face. As those mismatched yellow optics bored into him, all those things Knockout was trying not to think about started to creep into his processor again. He was going to end up like GT-06 and this... this hideous thing that was Breakdown but wasn't Breakdown at all- Oh slag Breakdown...
Right as Knockout's thoughts began to turn towards that hot mess of a subject, he heard: "Hey! Hey, you big ugly pile'a scrap!"
Finally, Silas shifted his gaze away. Knockout hadn't ever thought he'd be relieved to hear Miko's voice. It felt like a physical weight had been lifted off him. He tore his optics from Silas and his thoughts with them... better to think about something else. Like escape. That was what was important now. Getting emotional would only distract from that. Behind him, Miko continued.
"I know you're kinda fragged in the head and everything," she shouted, still tugging slightly at her bonds, "but if you've got any sense left, you'll let us go before there's trouble."
"Trouble, you say?" Silas said, clearly humoring the girl. "And why do you suppose that?"
Bulkhead was glancing nervously from Miko to Silas. "Miko..." he grumbled a warning, but she ignored it.
"Well the way I see it, there's two scenarios here. Number one," Miko lifted a finger to count off, "the Autobots show up to mess you and your MECH lackies up bad... Number two, we bust outta these puny cuffs and we wreckyou. Personally." She lowered her fingers, leaning forward against the railing slightly as though trying to be intimidating. "I hope for your sake it's the first one."
A subdued smirk managed to cross Silas' face. "Oh I see. Because you're Wreckers." he glanced over at Bulkhead. "How cute."
"Wait a sec," Bulkhead spoke up, "how do you even know about the Wreckers?"
"Ah, Vee never got the chance to explain, did she? That's for the best I think; she tends to elaborate with unnecessary details. Allow me to enlighten you in simple terms, Autobot." Silas tapped the side of his helm. "All the information stored in this frame's processor is accessible to me. If it was in his head, it's now in mine."
Bulkhead's optics widened in horror, "You... you can see into Breakdown's mind?! That's... that's..."
"Messed up." Miko finished quietly. She didn't look nearly as disgusted as Bulkhead, but even she seemed very uncomfortable with the implications. "You can't go lookin' at other people's memories- that's messed up!"
"There's nothing messed up about it." Silas glanced down at Miko. "You see little girl, these are machines. Not people. The 'memories' you refer to are nothing more than data files." He turned back to Bulkhead. "A long succession of those files were about you and your Wrecker friends. Powerful soldiers, those ones; just the kind of frames we're looking for. Too bad you're the only one of them on our planet... Ah and of course," he turned around to look at Knockout, "the files I have on you, doctor-" He stopped as their optics met.
The glare Knockout was giving Silas gave him pause. Knockout's optics had an intense glow to them that hadn't been there before. The snarl was gone, instead his jaw was clenched firmly, his mouth shut tight pressed thin. He was even trembling slightly... This wasn't the contempt the medic had shown previously. No, this was something new. This was pure, cold fury.
Knockout had stopped holding back. There was no more diverting his attention from the matter. After this new revelation, it would be impossible to... As if using his frame like a puppet wasn't bad enough, but now this disgusting wretch had invaded Breakdown's mind! Everything his partner did, everything he was- Primus, everything they had shared together! It was all at the fingertips of this human. Those memories he was using were private! They belonged to his partner. They belonged to HIM. And they weren't to be shared with some foul little organic! He wasn't just going to destroy Silas- the second he got out he was going to tear him apart piece by piece, and then make him watch while-
"Knockout...?" The urgent whisper suddenly pulled Knockout out of his fantasy where he was vivisecting Silas. His optics turned towards Miko who was staring at him intently. "Don't forget what you promised me," she continued quietly.
Huh. It must have been pretty obvious what he was thinking if even Miko had picked up on it. He let in a deep intake and tried to collect himself... anger wasn't going to help right now. He'd already decided that. He looked back to Silas and immediately felt the rage bubble back up again, but he managed to stay focused. "So?" he practically hissed the word. "What about the files you have on me?"
Silas eyed Knockout warily for another moment, then apparently decided whatever concerns he had were unfounded and that smug, confident look appeared again. "There are a lot of them," he finally replied. "Their specifics aren't really important. The important thing to be taken from this frame's knowledge was that you are the Decepticons' medic."
"Ah. I see where you're going with this." Knockout growled, lowering his helm a bit. "You're not interested in turning me into one of your soldiers- you're after what's in my processor."
"You catch on quick."
"Well what about me?" Miko suddenly spoke up. "What're you freaks keepin' me around for? I'm not a transforming robot."
"No, you're not." Silas sneered down at the girl. "Not yet, anyway."
There was a second of hesitation after that comment, then finally Miko spoke up again, but only to ask: "...Wait, what?"
"Take a look over at what our engineers are doing." Silas gestured towards Vee and the others. Agent Dymas had been strapped into a seat, numerous wires and devices were being attached to his head and neck. Vee seemed to be taking the lead, checking over all the connections and then finally lowering a circular helmet as a finishing touch. Silas continued, "You see, to control these frames we use that machinery to download our agents' minds into a portable chip. The chips themselves are usually easy to install. However, we encountered some trouble using them on some transformers." Silas gave a quick glance down at Knockout. "It seems some frame types lack a certain amount of strength necessary withstand the conversion process. One of our agents' chips was corrupted trying to convert the smaller Vehicon miners... that's where you come in." Silas looked to Miko again. "Since Knockout's frame is smaller than our typical candidates, we've decided to evaluate his durability using you as a test subject."
The look of sheer horror that crossed the faces of his captives made Silas crack an amused smile, one that stayed even as Miko and Knockout both started screaming in protest.
"You have GOTto be kidding me! Of all the humans you could use to kill me you choose HER?!"
"NO! No I don't wanna be Knockout! That's super weird!"
"If you think I'm going to let the consciousness of that little brat control me for even a nanoklik then-"
"Let me go! You can't do this! I-" As Miko continued to shout, she started pulling on her restraints again in fast jerking motions.
"Ah ah- I wouldn't be doing that, little girl." Silas took a short step towards her, reaching around to his back and unclipping something. A moment later he was unfolding Knockout's staff and pointing it towards her menacingly. At the sight of the staff both of them fell silent. Silas continued, "I would hate to have to take more drastic measures to restrain you. Keep in mind: we only require that your brain be intact for our process to work."
Miko stopped and shrank down a bit, staring at the sharp prongs of the staff. Knockout was staring at it as well. He had been wondering where that went. If he could get his servos on it he was sure he could take out Silas and he could get out of there... hrmm. Now if only he wasn't still strapped down...
Meanwhile Miko had turned away from Silas and was now staring at the very nervous looking MECH agent whose head was hooked up to the machine. "So... so how are you gonna-?" before she could finish asking her question, Vee threw a switch on the device. The strapped in agent shuddered violently and gave a painful cry that was nearly drowned out by the loud, electric buzzing coming off the machine itself. It lasted about twenty seconds, and just as the buzzing began to fade away, Agent Dymas slumped over.
Two of the other MECH agents went over and unstrapped him, pulling the wires off his head and neck. Meanwhile Vee was flitting about the control panel of the machine, adjusting dials and typing commands. Shortly after she stepped back and nodded to another set of agents who immediately began unhooking the massive chip attached to the machine and gently lowering it down onto a short cart. After Vee quietly checked it over, removing her goggles to get a better look, and marking off a list on her clipboard, she waved them on and they wheeled it down the catwalk towards their Cybertronian captives.
Even as they passed by her with the chip, Miko was still staring at the body of Agent Dymas. The two who had taken him out of the seat had just laid him down on the ground and went about helping the others, but the agent hadn't moved. He... didn't seem to be breathing either.
"What happened to him?" she demanded, "Is he gonna be okay? I-I mean... say the whole becoming a robot thing doesn't work out for him? You guys can put him back in his body, right?"
"Actually-" Miko looked around and saw Vee had come down the catwalk as well and was standing behind her. She continued, "the process of transfering a human consciousness into the unique digital code which allows us to maintain control over the transformers' bodies causes irreparable damage to the organic neurons of the brain, which-"
"No." Silas interrupted her. "He's dead. To put it more preciesly."
"Yes. Well... I was getting to that." Vee turned away from Miko and continued after the other agents as they were setting up... behind Bulkhead.
Miko felt her heart skip a beat as it dawned on her. This was going to happen right now! They were going to kill Bulkhead and she was still tied up!
"No! No no get away from Bulk! Don't you DARE put that thing in him!" She screamed as she returned to tugging furiously against the zip ties holding her. No one seemed to be paying attention to her anymore, though. Silas had stepped over and was reaching for Agent Dymas' chip.
"Sir, I should at least run some diagnostic scans to ensure the insert will hold." Vee spoke just as Silas picked up the chip.
"That won't be necessary." Silas said, "I know for a fact this transformer is powerful enough to withstand the conversion."
"...If you say so, sir." Vee mumbled, then quietly took up her place behind the control panel to Bulkhead's slab. Her fingers were hovering over the buttons eagerly. "Now, Bulkhead was it? Will you open of your own free will or-?"
"Blow it out yer actuators, ya stinkin' MECH lackey!"
"I thought as much." Vee lowered her hand onto the controls and electricity began coursing through the slab. Bulkhead's frame was shuddering as the current ran through him, but his jaw was clenched and his optics shut tight as he tried to resist. Ultimately, he wasn't able to hold it back and the command was able to override his transformation sequence, opening up his chest cavity. As the current stopped, he slouched forward just barely, but his optics shot open and he glared up at Silas.
"You think you'll actually get me to give in to that stupid chip's control?" he growled, "well then you've got another thing comin'..."
"Don't worry, Wrecker, I have first-hand knowledge about how stubborn you are." Silas lifted his servo holding the chip. The clamps on the back side opened with that awful KRSHHT sound. "But I'm willing to bet you have a breaking point."
Silas thrust his servo forward into Bulkhead's chest, the chip connecting with the spark chamber and digging its tendrils in to take root. Bulkhead let out an agonizing scream and began thrashing against his restraints. Silas continued to glare down at him with a triumphant smirk. "I suppose we'll find out soon enough if I'm right."