Part 9: Will's will vs. Soundwave's will
To say that the event started a little panic was akin to saying that someone was a little pregnant when 8 months along. Humans left the base only with supervision. Mechs were always on combat alert. And both families had to move into the base to join their beloved.
As things got crowded, the tempers got shorter.
"Foul stinking pest!" Ironhide howled aiming his cannons at Mojo.
"That'smyname. Don'tmentionitinvain." Frenzy commented at the scene. "Andnotondogs."
"One more word and I'll turn you over to Megatron myself." Ironhide roared at Frenzy, making both the hacker and the canine he was helping to protect to cringe in fear.
"He'll appreciate you picking on smaller critters." Sam added briskly from the floor, where he placed himself as a living shield between Ironhide and Mojo. "Go get your processor checked."
"Will you two stop it?" Barricade decided to end the fight. "Ironhide, go check the perimeter. Frenzy, how many times do I have to tell you not to edge the yeti? And Sam, go walk the stupid dog. He stinks."
Sam flinched when the code phrase "go walk the dog" was spoken, then nodded numbly as dominating effect left by Rambler took over his mind and body. He picked Mojo up and turned to leave.
"Let's go." He said in unusually calm tone, which went unnoticed since there was a fight going on.
"What did you call me, pit spawn?" Ironhide asked Barricade, resuming the yelling, allowing Sam to slip from the mess hall.
The boy walked to the base entrance and lowered Mojo to the ground as an 'all clear' signal. The dog started whining as he picked a familiar scent. Ravage approached Sam and growled.
"Mission?"
Ravage placed a data pad near Sam's feet. The human eyed the screen and nodded.
"I follow." He turned and headed back, ignoring Mojo's complaints.
Once inside he went to find Will.
"Will, would you like to go into town for some supplies?" He addressed the man.
"I thought we just did?"
"I forgot some things. And you can bring Annabelle a new toy."
Will eyed Sam with suspicion.
"Let me just get Ironhide."
"Let's get Barricade instead. He must be tired to be stuck inside all this time."
"Good idea." Will commed Barricade. "Let's go road tripping. What do you say?"
"I'm on it. Going somewhere?"
"Into the town to shop. Get your ass, or whatever you mechs have, to the front gate."
As suggested, the law-enforcer was at the entrance in a matter of seconds. Bumblebee followed him, also wanting to get out.
"Grab a human and let's race!" Bee offered.
"Captain Lennox, shall we teach those younglings a lesson?" Barricade offered.
Will and Sam jumped to their respective places on the front seats.
"Eat dust, geezers!" Bee offered.
"Spanking time." Will replied. "Hit it!"
Both cars took off, raising clouds of dust.
From above, Lazerbeak sent a silent alert to his creator.
-----------Decepticons-------------Decepticons--------------------Decepticons------------------
"Impressive." Rambler commented. "You have them just where they deserve to be."
"Watch and learn." Soundwave allowed himself a moment of smugness. "All loyal Casetticons, attack."
That's where things didn't go as planned. Barricade slowed down for a minute to let Will get out, then took his combat form. Will opened a bag he had along and pulled out what he called BFG (A/N DOOM!) and Ironhide referred to lovingly as 'mini-me'.
Bee tossed Sam out and transformed to join battle as well.
"Impossible." Soundwave managed before he had to duck for cover from a BFG charge.
"Size does matter! The smaller we are, the smarter we get!" Will commented. "In a minute this place will be crawling with Autobots. Who planned this mess, Starscream?"
Soundwave had to admit this was a deserved insult. But mission was mission, and the younger human just sat there, as he was programmed to do.
"Ravage. Capture." He ordered.
The feline sped through the battleground and made a quick grab with her teeth at Sam's arm, while the other defenders were occupied. Sam's cry of pain as he woke from the trance made Bumblebee turn and gape.
"Stop right now." Soundwave commanded both sides. "Will Lennox, surrender."
"I'm not going back there." Will shouted back. "Don't move, Sam, and I'll nail the bastard."
"Probability- low." The spy commented. "Ravage."
Ravage tightened her jaws obediently, tasting warm blood. Sam bit his lip in an attempt to avoid screaming.
"We must drag this out, until the others arrive." Will muttered to Barricade. "Why am I needed?" He shouted.
"Megatron's orders." Soundwave took a step forward. "Last warning."
"Or what? You need us alive." Will laughed.
"Capture: Lennox. Others: unneeded. Terminating human in 5 seconds."
"Can't we just talk about it?"
"Already did. 4."
"Do you even know what your master expects of Will? Did he tell you?" Barricade tried to reason with Soundwave. "Did you not see the others in his mind?"
"Emotions: irrelevant. 3. 2. 1.."
"Stop!" Bumblebee cried out. "Let him be, please!"
"Ravage..." Soundwave started.
In a rash act, Barricade fired on Ravage, making her drop Sam and jump aside. The young man scrambled away towards Will, who ran to his aid. A shot made Will push Sam to the ground and look for the source of the fire, only to find himself staring directly into the optics of the Telepath. Next thing he knew that the battle around him faded into background as he stared transfixed, like a bird looking into a serpent's eyes.
"What's happening?" He asked hoarsely.
"Open your mind." Soundwave's voice ordered inside his head.
"Told one Mech no, will tell them all no."
"It won't hurt. Just let me see." The voice was different from the monotone Will heard in battle. It was calm, pleasant. "I promise it won't hurt."
"I want to believe you." Will said. "I really do. But I can't."
"Try. It's easy." The voice cajoled.
"Stop this. Please."
"Just lay down your weapon. I'll protect you."
"I'm not going back there."
"You won't. Just lower your gun."
"Can't. No matter how much I want to."
Will felt a cold touch reach towards his most sacred thoughts and, in attempt to make Soundwave let go, did something he tried for many weeks not to. He recalled Megatron's touch. The pain, the humiliation, the nausea.
Soundwave knew what Megatron wanted the man for, but he never saw it happen, inside his mind. The human was bringing his worst memories as a shield and it was working. Downloading information is one thing. Torture Soundwave never really approved of. Will felt the assault weaken and pushed again. He showed him the stench of Sam's flesh charred by Energon, the choice of hunger over drugs, the taste of blood in his mouth that was almost as bitter as the failure to avenge himself.
Soundwave tried a different method, showing images of his own pain from Frenzy's betrayal, the delight the Decepticon felt when Megatron thanked him for a job well done.
"Serve him, like I do. It doesn't have to be painful."
"It that what he told you?" Will muttered. "And you believed? You really have no honor, no self respect." And brought forth the images of Frenzy cuddling on his lap as he read Annabelle a book during the captivity, the offer of merciful demise, the heavenly taste of non-poisoned treat that Frenzy offered him.
"He still loves you!" Will tried to reason. "Don't you care for your children?"
"And you took Frenzy from me, and the girl from Megatron."
"The girl you mention is my own child, the way Frenzy is yours. Or did Megatron lie to you about that as well?"
Soundwave averted his optics. Only once before he wanted to defy Megatron as badly as he wanted now, when the leader ordered him to harm the beautiful Autobot spy, in order to get to the Medic. But he took the oath of obedience. So again, like during that one time, he chose obedience, no matter how much he'll regret it later.
"I... understand." He said. "Come along and I'll ignore the orders to kill the others."
Will shook his head, still unable to move.
"I can't." He said out loud.
Soundwave scanned the area. The Autobots were too close. Luckily, the air support (namely Blackout and Starscream) has already arrived. He grabbed Will roughly and simply dropped him into his own subspace, like he'd do to a rampant Casetticon, then sent a signal for retreat. He'll get the girl and the traitor later.
The battle grew even more intense as both sides clashed, before Rambler yelled:
"Shoot Soundwave and the soldier dies with him."
That made the Autobots pause long enough to allow Soundwave to take off.
--------------------------Autobots---------------------Autobots-------------------Autobots----------------
"What happened?" Sarah asked, as soon as the defeated Autobot group returned to base.
"Will suspected foul play when Sam offered to go to town. After all we've told him, he still tried to take on Soundwave by himself." Barricade replied.
"He had a plan ready in advance in case one of us becomes affected." Bee continued. "Road tripping meant at least two battle capable Autobots and notifying the others once we've left the base, and taking BFG as well."
"Will took 'mini- me'?" Ironhide asked. "Good choice."
"Correct. He assumed that Soundwave won't expect us to fight back. In a way he was correct. But with Sam being a sitting target, plans had changed. Captain Lennox ended up close enough to Soundwave to get mesmerized. That means that Soundwave's power goes beyond contact."
"Will tried to take on Soundwave? Why, in the name of Primus?" Prime asked.
"Because he hoped that Soundwave will make the mistake we all did: underestimating humans." Barricade replied.
Jazz made a sad sound:
"I could have told him that Soundwave doesn't underestimate anyone. Especially if the guy is smart enough to go to town with a BFG."
"So, now what?" Sarah asked.
"Frenzy will find Will, won't you?" Bumblebee addressed the hacker.
"Frenzy RUUULES!" Was the reply.
"So be it. Find him, and then..." Prime started, only to be interrupted by Sarah.
"Then you give me a BFG and step aside. No more nice girl from me."
"You can't..." Prime started.
"The only thing I can't do is piss my name in the snow. You might be all high and mighty, and all hands for peace, but this is MY planet, MY husband and MY saying about it. Ironhide, build me a BFG or something nastier."
"Yes, ma'am!" Ironhide replied, while pondering what weapon can be human sized and nastier than than a plasma thrower at the same time. Maybe a null ray?
"Just one moment." Prime tried to get control of the situation.
"One moment is all it took for Soundwave to get Will and head to Megatron." Sarah spat.
She took off down the corridor, followed by Ironhide.
"Great. One more human to heal." Ratchet muttered and carried Sam away to his lab.
"What?" Jazz asked when Prime gave him a puzzled look. "So they're not the usual 'follow my lead' human kind."
"I know. And I want them to stay alive." Prime said.
"I know, old friend. So do I."
-----------Decepticons-------------Decepticons--------------------Decepticons-----------------------
There was no light, no sound, nothing. Will now understood why such experiences were considered an effective torture technique. He needed to to something to stay sane, so he tried to talk to his captor.
"Hey, DJ!" He thought.
"The name is Soundwave." A voice in his mind corrected.
"So what? It's not like you can make me feel worse than what Megatron has in store for later. And you're taking me straight... sorry. You're taking me GAY to him! So give me one reason to be nice to you? At least Barricade had the decency to apologize."
"Was it really that bad?"
"Listen, I don't know how things are on Cybertron, but here it's not exactly normal for a guy to Be forced into..." Will sent a mental image of Sam and Bee cuddling. "Especially with a non-human."
"Had Bumblebee been a femme, would it make things 'normal' for you? Or is it the surrender to a greater force?"
"Don't know. Maybe. At least those two love each other. Do you understand love?"
"I do. I love my sparklings."
"Frenzy is easy to like, once he's busy. He's playful and sociable."
"Thank you."
"Say. You've got a normal voice in here. Why the monotone?"
"To keep the distance."
"To hide emotions too. You're about as happy about this mess as I am, aren't you?"
"My feelings are irrelevant."
"Why do you follow him so much?"
"Because he saved me. Because he silenced the voices and ended the pain."
"You're not a contact only mind reader, are you?"
"Once Megatron is through will you, I'll kill you to hide this information."
"Decepticons. All hell bent on killing. Why not change sides, or pinky oath or something of sorts?"
"You are strange indeed." Soundwave grew silent.
"HEY!" Will tried to resume the conversation, but Soundwave ignored him for the rest of the trip.
By the time they arrved and Soundwave dropped Will to the floor, the human was in a bad condition.
"So much for artificial INTELIGENCE!" He muttered.
"Is there something wrong?" Soundwave asked, back in his monotone.
"Hell, yeah! I'm currently half blind and fully miserable. De-sensorizing might be pleasant for Casetticons, but it makes us, humans, sick." Will spat.
"Zero Data: acceptable pleasure on Cybertron."
"Well, Toto, this ain't Kanzas anymore. Let's get this crap over with. Take me to your leader, E.T."
"Designation: Soundwave."
"Designation: fucking delivery boy."
Soundwave had enough. He aimed a gun at Will's head.
"Move." He ordered.
"No. You'll just have to shoot me."
"Unneeded. Ravage."
The panther jumped at Will, and was about to pick him up with her teeth, only to howl at pain, when Will pulled a small energy blade from his boot and started fighting back.
"Never know when hanging with 'Hide will do you good." He smirked. "I'm not going back there."
Soundwave noticed that Will's heart rate climbed and his skin became sweaty.
"State: Suspicious." He noted. "Casetticons, capture." Then he added on the internal communication net: "Megatron: Lennox on base. Status: Fighting."