Author's Notes: I hope this chapter turned out okay. It's got a lot of drama and a lot of action. Fight scenes are a weakness of mine, but hopefully the quick fight scene in this chapter does its job. Anyway, things are getting real in this fic now, and I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Please remember to review, favorite, and follow to see more Attack of The 20 Ft. Freeloader :)
Chapter 10
Taken Away
Many Years Later…
Little Mod could hear her parents fighting again. They always had problems, but it seemed lately the frequency of their arguments was increasing, and her Kayri was resorting more and more to physical violence. Mod knew he was a violent mech, but what scared her was that he didn't use violence alone to keep her and her sire in line, and she could never tell when he would snap or when he would simply say something that cut them to their sparks. If Mod was honest with herself, she preferred the straightforwardness of beatings over how worthless he could make her feel with a few smooth remarks and less-than-idle threats.
At the moment Mod was in the study with her nanny looking at old holovids and trying to ignore the ugliness down the hall. Her nanny loved looking at videos from the glory days of the Decepticons. He had everything from the wars on Cybertron to the battles on earth all the way up to recent vids of her carrier slipping on a rug and comically falling over. That was Mod's current favorite.
"Hey Nanny, can I ask you a question?" Mod inquired, and her nanny nodded, "Well, I've seen a lot of old holovids of Kayri, but none of Sire from before Kayri and her were married. Do you have any videos of her from back then?"
Her nanny tilted his helm in thought, and after a moment went to retrieve a few saved files from his time on earth. He didn't have many of Arcee from before her forced marriage to their current tyrant, but he did accidentally save a few. He was glad he did now, because Mod needed to see a time when her sire was strong and still had hope for the future. The poor neglected sparkling deserved that much.
The video began to play on the big TV screen in the study (which was Mod's idea since she hated reading). The video showed a building with a lot of young humans exiting excitedly. There was an obvious blue motorcycle there that could only be Arcee.
"What kind of a building is that?" Mod asked curiously, "Where is she? What are the humans doing? Oh cool! That one has red hair! Red hair is so cool! Where are they?"
The nanny translated the last word on the building into Cybertronian glyphs. It simply read SCHOOL.
"School?" Mod asked with distaste, but then immediately followed up with, "Wait, you mean Sire's human partner was still a sparkling? Whoa..."
She watched as a human boy with pink skin and black hair checked his phone and then climbed onto Arcee's seat.
"How was school, Jack?" Arcee asked, though the recording sounded a little tinny due to its age.
"We went on a field trip today, so it was pretty awesome," The boy, Jack, said with a smile, "To be fair it was just a sticky note factory a few towns over, but it was nice to not have homework for once. Everything okay at base?"
"Ratchet is repairing a console that broke down," Arcee said in an amused tone of voice, "He's still grumbling about inferior earth technology. He'll be alright."
The pair drove away and the video feed cut off there, but it was more than enough for Mod to see a side to her sire she'd never seen before. Arcee sounded happy, and she had actually had a friend (that wasn't being held prisoner in the basement). Mod sighed when she thought about it. She knew her sire was miserable, but she didn't realize how much she had changed until she saw that footage.
A few minutes later Mod's parents came into the study. Her carrier was preening like a peacock and her sire was looking down at the ground to avoid looking at anyone. It was clear that whatever they had fought about, Kayri had won.
Why does he have to look so smug about it? Mod wondered with contempt.
"Soundwave, I need to take Arcee to see a medic," Mod's carrier announced, "She will be away for a while for psychiatric observation. You are to remain here and watch the sparkling. See to it that she doesn't get into anything dangerous or classified. Oh, and get someone to clean up the mess on the lower levels."
Mod's nanny nodded dutifully, but Mod was growing more uneasy with each passing second. She didn't really understand why her sire would need to go to a mental hospital. She wasn't crazy. What was going on?
"Starscream?" Arcee addressed her bondmate with a shaky voice, "Can I have a moment alone with Mod?"
"No. You would only try to escape with her," Mod's carrier replied matter-of-factly.
"Believe me, if I was going to try to escape I wouldn't bother bringing her along," Arcee replied; her voice filled with venomous contempt, "I just...I just need to talk to her. Can't you give me that much after everything you've put me through?"
"Oh, alright," Starscream huffed with a wave of his servo, "If you try anything this time though, you both die."
"Yeah, yeah, like that's a new one," Arcee replied with bitter nonchalance.
Starscream and Soundwave left the room, and for the first time in years Arcee was alone with her daughter. Mod looked up at her sire with frightened confusion. For a moment they just stood there looking at each other. It seemed Arcee didn't quite know what to say either.
Finally, Arcee broke the silence when she said "I told your carrier to put the stipend he normally gives me into a bank account for your education. They provide everything I'll need at the clinic, so I won't need the money."
"You'll need it when you get back," Mod replied quickly; looking for any reassurance that this situation wouldn't last long.
"Mod, I'm not coming back," Arcee told her point blank, "I can't live here anymore, and this was the only option your carrier would give me to leave."
"But why do you have to go?" Mod demanded to know, "Can't I go to the loony bin too? I don't wanna stay here by myself!"
"You're not by yourself, you have Soundwave," Arcee replied in what she hoped was a soothing tone of voice, "I may not always get along with him, but Soundwave is a good caregiver and truly loves you. Just stay close to him, and he'll protect you. I'm sorry, but I can't stay here anymore. Not without..."
Arcee didn't finish the sentence. She just paused, sighed deeply, and then sat down heavily on the floor. She looked like she didn't have the energy to stand anymore, and she seemed too tired to even cry.
"Without what?" Mod finally managed to ask.
"I lost a good friend recently," Arcee whispered ruefully, "He kept me grounded when it felt like everything was wrong. Sometimes it feels like this crazy mixed-up world isn't real. Sometimes I dream about the Autobots, my friends, and I wake up thinking this is the nightmare and all I have to do is wake up. But I never do. I can't pretend anymore. If Starscream touches me one more time I'll jump from the tower and fall to my death. I hate to admit it, but I do need help. I need to be away from him and everything that reminds me of him."
"Including me?" Mod stated rather than asked.
Arcee looked hurt that Mod said it, but didn't do anything to contradict her. Mod knew she wouldn't. Her sire never lied to her, even when it hurt.
"Was it Bumblebee that died?" Mod asked pointedly.
Arcee gasped as her round blue optics widened. That reaction was all the answer Mod needed. Bumblebee was dead. Mod didn't ask whether it was natural causes or her Kayri's murderous temper that killed him. It didn't really matter to Mod. The result was the same. Her sire was leaving her forever to live with crazy people. She was going to be alone with her carrier for many years to come.
"Did you refuel yet?" Mod asked in an effort to change the subject, "You wanna make sure your tank is full before you go to the loony bin."
"Yeah, I ate about a joor ago," Arcee replied softly; her mood still melancholy, "I should have done this years ago."
"Threaten to kill yourself?" Mod asked ignorantly.
"No, find a way to make Starscream let me go," Arcee replied, "I had no idea he would even go for this idea. Well Mod, I guess this is goodbye. Remember what I said. Stay close to Soundwave, and don't do anything to anger your carrier."
Arcee had her servo on the door panel and was about to leave the room when Mod suddenly called out "Hey Sire!"
"Yes, Mod?"
"I, uh...I love you, Sire," Mod felt weird saying that, since it wasn't something that was really said in her family (for obvious reasons), but she knew this was her only chance to say it and hear it from her sire.
"Thanks, Mod," Arcee said with a soft smile, and then she left the room.
It took Mod a moment to process what had just happened. Her sire didn't say it back, even though it was obvious that was what the moment was leading up to. Arcee didn't tell Mod she loved her, and Mod was sure she knew why. Because Arcee had never lied to her before, and she wasn't going to start now.
Present Day…
Mod recalled the painful memory as she soared through the clouds. She and Cylas were so close to the Autobot base now she could detect it on her radar.
/Okay Cylas, the plan is simple,/ Mod said over the comm to the blue truck below her, /You create a distraction for the Autobots, and I sneak inside and grab all the synth en they have. Just remember to not get hit if you can help it. Your body is pretty weak from Knockout's abuse, so be careful./
/Why am I the distraction again?/ Cylas asked drolly, /It seems that you would be the better fighter./
/That's where you're wrong, buddy boy,/ Mod replied, /You're a trained military officer, and I'm just some spoiled princess that never had a day of combat training in her life. Also, I'm sneakier than you, so sabotage is my area of expertise. Oh! I see it! The base is just 10 kliks from your current location!/
/And what is that in miles?/ Cylas asked.
/Uh...I dunno. What are miles?/ Mod asked ignorantly.
She heard Cylas cut the comm and was left alone with her thoughts again for the duration of the trip. It was a good thing it didn't take long, because Mod's thoughts seemed to have a grudge against her.
Meanwhile, in the Autobot base, Ratchet's console blared an alert that there was an unknown aircraft and an unknown vehicle closing in on their location. Ratchet typed in a few coordinates to get a visual, and saw that the vehicle was Breakdown's old alt mode. It was Cylas! The jet was blue with red lines, so that was obviously Mod.
"Optimus, Mod and Cylas are approaching our base!" Ratchet exclaimed worriedly, "It looks like Cylas will get here soonest, which is odd since Mod's alt mode is faster."
"Wonder how those two creeps found each other?" Bulkhead asked derisively.
"Both have proven to be resourceful and cunning in the past," Optimus stated, "We will need to keep them from the base at all costs."
"Yeah, before the humans try to fight those two for us," Smokescreen added, "Besides, I owe Mod a little payback for poisoning me!"
/That was just a prank,/ Bumblebee pointed out.
"Yeah, well, she also broke our ground bridge!" Smokescreen snapped defensively, "The point is she's evil, and Cylas is evil, so we gotta stop them from doing something...evil!"
"Smooth," Arcee quipped.
"Autobots, let's roll out," Optimus ordered as he opened the door to the hangar, "Ratchet, if either of them penetrate our defenses, sound the alarm."
Ratchet nodded sternly and watched as the other Autobots left the hangar. He only hoped they knew what they were doing.
The Autobots were met by Cylas outside the gate to the military base. He immediately transformed into robot mode and then transformed his servos into hammers. He was smirking maliciously and looked ready for a fight.
"Ready for that rematch, Bulkhead?" Cylas taunted.
"Okay seriously, that is still disturbing," Bulkhead said to the other Autobots, "Fine, Cylas. I'll fight you."
Bulkhead then transformed his servos into wrecking balls and roared as he charged Cylas! Bulkhead was almost to the truck-former when Cylas swerved left and used his hammer to slam into Bulkhead's back and knock him off balance. Bulkhead fell on his chassis, and before he could get up he noticed that Cylas was already charging the other 'Bots!
Cylas was much quicker than the Autobots remembered, and seemed to dodge every attack. While most of the Autobots were occupied with Cylas, Ultra Magnus and Arcee watched the skies for Mod; knowing she had been right behind Cylas. They didn't see her, and Ultra Magnus wondered if the seeker had turned coward and ran away once it was obvious the Autobots would fight back.
Cylas continued to land blows on the 'Bots and dodge everything they threw at him. It was more frustrating than threatening, but the sense of unease was in the air because they didn't know if Cylas and his new seeker partner were the only two out there or if they had backup. Were the Decepticons involved in this, or was this a new agenda they had to worry about?
Smokescreen was knocked upside the helm by one of Cylas' hammer blows, and it looked like the young cadet was done for, but then when Cylas got close enough for the killing blow Smokescreen revealed he had been faking the severity of his injury and used the element of surprise to blast Cylas in the face with a plasma burst! Cylas roared in pain and grabbed his face plate with both servos, and that was all the distraction the Autobots needed to gang up on Cylas and subdue him.
Optimus ordered that the human/mech be taken prisoner instead of executed, since the human authorities would likely want to charge him with several crimes against humanity. Cylas was too damaged to fight back, but he managed to growl at his captors as they bound his wrists in stasis cuffs and led him toward the base.
Meanwhile, inside Hangar E, Ratchet was watching the fight transpire on the monitor, and watching for Mod the entire time. Little did he know she was closer than he thought.
Mod had transformed into robot mode a few miles away from the military base and had snuck into the base from a different direction. Just as Ratchet was watching Cylas knock Smokescreen over the helm with a hammer, Mod was already inside the hangar tiptoeing to the supply closet to steal the Autobots' synth en.
She found the containers that were stored in the closet, and rather than bother carrying them back with her to the desert she simply took them to the wash racks and dumped them down the drain. She waited a second, realized she still existed, and went back out to search for the rest of the synthetic energon.
After a moment of careful searching she found the remaining container, and moaned a 'why me?' type of moan when she saw it was in a jar among Ratchet's medical supplies; right next to Ratchet!
Mod sighed sharply and decided it was now or never. She needed to make sure the Omega Lock was never restored, Megatron and Optimus never died, and her carrier never gained power. All she had to do was grab the synth en.
She crawled on the floor on her hands and knees with her wings folded behind her back, and silently cursed herself when she noticed the scraplet-like clicking noises her claws were making against the concrete floor. She evened out her intakes as she quickly moved, and then carefully lifted her hand up to the jar of synth en...
...and felt another set of digits around the jar along with her own. Mod gingerly poked her helm up over the desk and saw Ratchet looking down at her the way a parent might look at a child stealing cookies.
"He heh, hey Doc," Mod simpered guiltily even as she tried to look innocent, "How're things?"
"Release the synth en, Mod," Ratchet ordered.
Mod hung her helm in shame and then looked up at the medic with large sad yellow optics. It was a trick her carrier would often use when he tried to appease her sire or her nanny. Usually after he did something really bad.
"I'm sorry, Doc," Mod said contritely as she let go of the jar and stood up, "I know this looks bad, Ratchet. I know you must think I'm a horrible person, but I just want you to know..."
"Know what?" Ratchet asked skeptically; the synth en still in his servo.
"I just want you to know, that in a few seconds..." Then Mod's voice changed from sobbing to sinister as she declared, "...none of this will matter."
Then Mod fired one of her arm launchers at the synth en container, and the missile caused the contents to splatter all over Ratchet! Before he could even react, Mod doused the doctor in water that was laying on his desk, and soon every trace of the synth en was gone.
"Yes! It worked!" Mod cheered in victory.
"You destroyed it?" Ratchet asked in confusion, "I thought you and Cylas wanted to use it!"
"Nah, the only thing getting used around here is Cylas! Ha ha!" Mod gloated, but then she suddenly realized Ratchet was still talking to her, which meant she still existed, "Wait a minute...Alright Ratchet, no more games! Where's the rest of it?"
"The rest of-? The synth en? There is no more!" Ratchet harrumphed angrily, "I don't know what your game is, but that formula is unstable anyway! I never perfected it, and in its current state it's of no use to anyone."
"Wait, so if you're the guy that made the synth en, then that means you can make more," Mod realized, "Ugh! I'm so stupid! It doesn't matter how much of this stuff I destroy if you can just make more later! Okay, fine, the plan's not ruined. I can still do this. I can still pull this off..."
Ratchet was a little concerned at the way Mod was muttering and pacing around the room. For one thing it was probably the most movement he'd ever seen from the lazy seeker. For another thing it was clear she was becoming unhinged.
It was in that moment that the Autobots came back in with their prisoner, and Mod's helm jerked up quickly when she saw the door open. Before the Autobots were even all the way inside, Mod wrapped one of her arms around Ratchet's neck cables and aimed her other arm's launcher at his helm!
Ratchet struggled to get free, but the slim seeker was surprisingly strong. Besides, the more he moved the deeper her claws went into his fuel lines. Everyone froze when they saw the situation. Ratchet was being held hostage by Mod!
"Mod, release Ratchet immediately!" Optimus ordered; a clear warning in his tone.
"Not until you give me back Cylas!" Mod demanded.
"We do not make deals with hostage takers," Ultra Magnus replied firmly.
"Fine, suit yourself," Mod grinned wildly, "Hey Cylas, just know I tried!"
Mod then transformed around Ratchet into her jet mode; his robot form's leg sticking out of the cockpit because he couldn't fit. The Autobots tried to grab her, but she was too slick and managed to fly past them with Ratchet in tow. They couldn't fire on the seeker because they might hit Ratchet.
Ratchet was gone to who-knows-where with a femme that had proven herself both cunning and unstable. They only hoped they could find them before she hurt the elderly medic.