Lennox gritted his teeth. Blades of pain seared his shoulder. He felt something wet and sticky on the back of his head. He reached around and touched it, wincing. Blood. He must have cracked his head against something when Bumblebee crashed.
"Everyone all right?" Lennox struggled to sit up, looking around the compartment.
American and Qatari soldiers groaned and pushed themselves to their feet. Most of them. One Qatari lay on the deck, head lolling from side-to-side, eyes half-closed. Swisher leaned against the side, clutching his arm and grimacing.
"Get out." Bumblebee's voice blared through the compartment. "Run. Don't let the Decepticons get that fragment."
The side hatch slid open.
"You heard him, guys. Move it!" Lennox waved the soldiers toward the hatch. The half-conscious Qatari was carried by Hiatt and another Qatari soldier.
Lennox and Lieutenant Ali Saeed were the last ones out. Bumblebee transformed back into a robot, a nasty, sparking gash on his left arm.
"What now?" asked Ali Saeed.
"We form a protective ring around Simmons," answered Lennox, "and we make damn sure the Decepticons don't get that fragment."
"How do we do that?"
Lennox turned to the Qatari officer, wishing he had an answer.
They'd run maybe ten yards across the dirt and rock strewn field when mechanical grinding, whining sounds surrounded them. Lennox swung around, M4 up.
The Decepticons turned back into robots. Their feet slammed into the ground. Tremors raced beneath Lennox. He whipped his head in all directions.
Megatron and his troops encircled them.
"You are the one with the fragment." The Decepticon leader pointed at Simmons. "Give it to me, and I promise, your death will be relatively painless."
The agent's jaw stiffened. Rivulets of sweat trickled from his forehead and down his face. He straightened his shoulders and pulled out his pistol. "You want it, asshole, come take it."
Lennox held his breath, his eyes flickering between Simmons and Megatron. He may not like the agent much, but he gave him an 'A' for guts.
Starscream laughed. "How amusing. The fleshling thinks his little gun can hurt us. Why don't you go ahead and shoot Megatron."
"Yes." Megatron leaned forward. "Shoot me. Give yourself the satisfaction of dying a warrior's death, for whatever that is worth."
A scowl formed on Simmons face. He continued to aim his pistol at Megatron. Several long seconds passed before the agent pulled the trigger. Three sparks flashed on Megatron's barrel chest.
The giant robot threw his head back and laughed. The other Decepticons joined in.
"As entertaining as this has been," Megatron raised his arm, "it is time to take back what belongs to me."
The enormous cannon grew out of his arm.
Gun barrels popped out of Bumblebee's wrists. The Autobot wasn't going down without a fight.
Might as well follow your example, Bee. Lennox didn't see where he had a choice. He raised his M4/M203 combo, his finger on the grenade launcher's trigger. Ali Saeed stood ready with his M-16. Not that his rifle would do any good against the Decepticons, but the Qatari also seemed determined to go down in a blaze of glory.
"Megatron!" Thrust pointed toward the sky. "Missiles!"
Everyone looked up. Lennox watched as several contrails streaked toward the ground. Behind it flew a white space shuttle with a rectangular blue object hanging from its belly.
"Down!" Lennox shouted.
The Americans and Qataris dropped to their stomachs.
The crash of explosions battered the air, and Lennox's ears. He lifted his head. Clouds of smoke wafted overhead. Thundercracker, Blackout and Blitzwing lay on their backs. The other Decepticons had avoided the missile strike.
Lennox stared up at the sky. Five objects tumbled out the side of the shuttle. All big. All robot-shaped.
"I think the cavalry has arrived," said Bumblebee.
XXXXX
"Autobots! Attack!"
Optimus Prime dove toward the ground, propelled by a jet pack. Behind him flew Ironhide, Wheeljack, Bluestreak and Springer, who instead of a jetpack took the form of an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.
Sky Lynx fired another salvo of missiles. Optimus magnified his optics. Bumblebee and the humans hurried away from the Decepticons. They flung themselves behind a dirt berm just as the missiles hit. Fire and smoke leapt from the torsos of Blackout and Megatron. Starscream and Thrust jumped into the air, transforming into F-22 and Mirage F1 jets. Optimus banked left, then right as a hail of laser fire flashed around him. The other Autobots also flew in zigzag patterns to throw off the Decepticons' aim.
Two beams grazed Optimus's left arm. Pain shot through his circuits. He ignored it as a cannon grew out of his forearm. Optimus banked left, then climbed, then opened fire. One blast hit Starscream in the wing, staggering him.
Thrust unleashed a salvo of missiles. Optimus went into a steep dive, then twisted right. The missiles screamed past.
One exploded against Wheeljack's leg.
"Wheeljack!" Fear welled within Optimus as he watched the Autobot tumble.
"I'm fine." Wheeljack righted himself. "Keep going."
Optimus turned back around. Thrust closed in on him.
"I'm going to destroy a Prime!" The Decepticon blazed away.
Optimus jerked as four beams struck him. Intense heat rippled over his torso. He angled himself into an even steeper dive.
Optimus pulled up just before Thrust overshot him. A double-edged sword grew from his right hand. He plunged it into Thurst's underbelly. The impact rocked Optimus's body. Thrust cried out. The sword tore through his fuselage. Flames and sparks poured from the gash. The blade burst through the single engine nozzle. Thrust nosed over and corkscrewed toward the ground, trailing smoke. The Decepticon crashed into a deserted field, throwing up a tower of flame of dirt. Optimus scanned the impact crater. The mangled piece of metal did not move.
Starscream turned away from the other Autobots. Springer, Bluestreak and Ironhide fired at him. Two fireballs burst from the Decepticon's wing. He hollered in pain and headed back to the ground.
Optimus landed and saw Blitzwing aim a cannon at him. Optimus dove left. The blast sizzled by him. He fired and struck Blitzwing in the chest. The Decepticon threw out his arms and crashed on his back.
Bluestreak pulled up just before he landed and rocketed toward Thundercracker. The Decepticon turned. A missile launcher emerged from his wrist.
Too late. Bluestreak's fist cracked against Thundercracker's face.
Rumble jumped into the sky. His arm formed into a pile-driver. He rammed it into Wheeljack's chest. The Autobot bounced across the ground.
"Megatron!" He sighted his old enemy nearby.
Megatron locked eyes on him and smiled. His right hand transformed into a large battleaxe.
"Ready to die, Prime." He smiled.
"Not today."
Optimus charged. Blackout got in his way. Optimus backhanded the Decepticon, knocking him aside. Megatron crouched, battleaxe out in front of him, ready.
Optimus raised his sword and let out a battle cry as he brought it down. Megatron blocked it. The crash of metal on metal surrounded them. Optimus drew the sword back and swung. Megatron ducked and thrust out his axe. The top of it collided with Optimus's abdomen. He stumbled back. Megatron roared and swung his axe. Optimus blocked it with his sword. He then rammed the point of his elbow into Megatron's face. The Decepticon staggered back, then swung his axe. Optimus dodged it and thrust his sword. Megatron moved to the right. The blade cut through his shoulder. He howled in pain.
"I'll kill you!" Megatron slashed at Optimus, missing. "I'll rip out your circuits and scatter them across this miserable planet."
Another swing by Megatron. Another miss. Optimus lowered his shoulder and rushed forward. He rammed into Megatron and flung him over his shoulder. Optimus spun around just as the Decepticon leader crashed on his back. He drew back his sword and plunged it toward Megatron. The Decepticon rolled away just as the blade drove deep into the dirt. Megatron jumped to his feet and swung his right leg. It slammed into Optimus's waist. The Autobot leader fell to the ground.
"And another Prime shall fall before me." Megatron stomped toward Optimus, raising his battleaxe.
Optimus pulled in his legs and kicked out. Both feet smashed into Megatron. The evil Transformer tumbled through the air. He crashed to the ground, rolling across dirt and rocks.
Optimus rose. He glimpsed Bluestreak exchanging fire with Thundercracker. Beyond him Sky Lynx's battle cat form leapt at Starscream. The Decepticon punched it in the face. The battle cat hit the ground and rolled. To his left, Bumblebee and the human soldiers fired lasers, grenades and bullets at Blitzwing, who took cover behind a rock outcropping.
Megatron pushed himself to his feet. Optimus stalked toward him.
Something dropped onto his shoulder.
"For the glory of Megatron!" Rumble's right arm turned into a pile-driver. Optimus tried to grab him.
The first blow shook the world around him. Bang! Bang! Bang! Optimus stumbled to the left. He felt his whole head would explode. The world blurred. Optimus swung his right hand at his shoulder. He couldn't tell if he struck Rumble.
Optimus heard a deep, garbled voice. He thought he heard his name called.
A weight lifted off his shoulder. He turned, wobbling from side-to-side. Optimus held his head, feeling several dents. His vision cleared.
Ironhide had Rumble by the throat. The Decepticon's feet dangled above the ground.
"It's time to put you out of our collective misery."
Ironhide flung Rumble into the air. A six-barrel rotary launcher emerged from Ironhide's forearm. He aimed for Rumble. Missiles streaked from the launcher. All six hit Rumble. A brilliant, miniature sun consumed the small Decepticon. Flaming wreckage spiraled in all directions.
"Thanks, Iron-"
Megatron tackled him from behind. Optimus crashed face first into the ground. Quakes rattled his large body.
"Optimus!" Ironhide started toward him.
Megatron lashed out with his battleaxe. The blade sliced off Ironhide's right arm. He cried out as sparks shot out the stump. Megatron punched Ironhide in the chest, knocking him down. He then turned to Optimus, who rolled onto his back.
"The fragment is mine, Prime, and I shall claim another prize with it. Your head."
Megatron brought up his battleaxe.
Fireballs sprouted from the Decepticon's back. Sharp crashes followed and instant later. He fell forward.
Optimus pushed himself up. He drove a fist into Megatron's face. The Decepticon's head snapped back. He toppled onto his back.
High pitched screams filled the air. Optimus glanced up. Two slender aircraft with stubby wings and pointy noses shot overhead. He accessed his files on Earth.
They were F-5 Tiger II fighters. The red, white and green roundels on their sides showed them to be part of the Iranian air force. Optimus quickly called up information on the country. It was ruled by an oppressive regime that seemed intolerant of outsiders and threatened the annihilation of several countries, including the United States and Israel.
They do not seem the sort of humans who would be eager to talk with us.
The F-5s swung around. Starscream jumped into the air and transformed into an F-22.
Unfriendly or not, he would not let harm come to the humans.
"Stop hi-"
Megatron's fist slammed down on Optimus's shoulder. He dropped to one knee.
"Your compassion for non-metallics is pathetic . . . and it will be your death."
"You've been threatening to kill me for millennia," said Optimus, "and you always fail."
He swung around. A sword grew from his wrist. The blade ripped into Megatron's side. He roared in pain and fury. Sparks and smoke burst from the wound.
Megatron fell backwards. Optimus rose, ready to continue the attack.
Megatron lifted his right hand. A nozzle sprang from it. Laser bolts spat from it. They pelted Optimus, driving him back.
"Decepticons!" Megatron staggered to his feet, clutching his side. "Retreat! Retreat!"
Blitzwing transformed into a large fighter/shuttle. He flew just a few feet above the ground, lasers lashing his side. His rear ramp dropped open. Megatron, Starscream, Thundercracker and Blackout jumped inside. Blitzwing shot into the sky.
"Shall we pursue them?" Ironhide asked.
"No. We need to secure the fragment. That's our priority."
"Yes, Prime."
The two Autobots walked over to where the humans had taken cover. Optimus searched the sky for the two Iranian fighters. He found them, or pieces of them, on the ground, burning. Victims of Starscream, most likely.
"Optimus," called out Bumblebee, who walked with the human soldiers.
"Bumblebee. It's good to see you, old friend." Optimus clasped the smaller Autobot's shoulder.
"Likewise."
"Where is Powerglide?"
Bumblebee hung his head. "I'm sorry, Optimus. He died back in Qatar covering our escape."
An emptiness formed within Optimus. Another good soldier, another friend, lost to this damn war.
He pushed it to the side. Mourning yet another dead Autobot would have to wait until the mission was completed.
He looked at the soldier next to Bumblebee. "I am Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots."
"Captain William Lennox," said the soldier. "U.S. Army Special Forces. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Thank you, Captain. Are you the one in possession of the Allspark fragment?"
"Actually, that would be him." Lennox pointed to a man with tan skin and curly hair.
"Agent Simmons, United States Government," the human introduced himself. "I understand you want this fragment, and I respect that. However, I'm what you'd call a minor functionary, a cog in the big machine. I'm simply not authorized to hand over sensitive material to an extraterrestrial race we just met."
Optimus nodded. "Then I ask you direct us to a human who has that authorization."
Something rumbled in the distance. Optimus turned to the west. Dust clouds kicked up on the horizon. He saw four trucks and a pair of armored vehicles. Out in front of them flew four helicopters, Hueys according to his Earth files.
He turned back to Lennox. "I think we should conduct any further negotiations in a place where these Iranian humans are unlikely to shoot at us."
TO BE CONTINUED