Author's Note: Thanks to Riptide2 (I enjoyed the irony in that), I am Blueberry (no kidding!), Noella50881 (:D), and Nitrofrost2 for reviewing the last chapter! Warning; I feel like this chapter rambles a bit. Enjoy and I own nothing but Tallie and Allie
Chapter Ten: Destroying an Ancient Machine
Sideswipe practically threw the twins out of his alt mode, shifting up and glaring at Tallie. "There," he snapped. "I did what you want. Now remember not to tell Jazz it was my idea to sneak you here."
"What was that?" Tallie asked her twin, pretending not to hear and grinning wickedly. "I didn't hear anything. Did you?"
"Wha-" Allie said, forcing herself to focus. "Oh, no. I didn't either."
"Please," Sideswipe grated out, hating every moment of it. Tallie let him hang a moment before responding.
"I promise," she said solemnly. "Now go help Ironhide before he gets slagged because he's old and slow. But don't tell him I said that or I will inform Jazz that it was your idea." Sideswipe just shifted and tore off, leaving a choking cloud of dust behind him. The twins turned as one to the pyramid. "So how exactly do we get up there?" Tallie asked after a moment.
"The same way as him," Allie said, pointing to a figure standing farther up. "Climb." Tallie groaned but dutifully followed her twin up the pyramid. By the time they reached the mysterious figure both were panting and sweating like crazy.
"Remind me never to listen you again," Tallie said, forcing herself to stand. That was when she froze and stared with horror at the man in front of her who was eyeing her with an equal amount of astonishment.
"Do you want to save to world or not?" Allie asked sourly, straightening up. "Oh," she said suddenly as she looked between Tallie and the man. "Should I know him?"
"Allie this is Agent Simmons," Tallie said sourly.
"What the heck are you doing here?" Simmons sputtered, too stunned at the girl's sudden appearance to realize that he was being patronized.
"I could ask you the same thing," Tallie responded coolly.
"Destroying the mother of all Decepticons," Simmons said, motioning toward Devastator. "No idea what it's called but it's freakin' huge."
"Devastator and he's a gestalt," Allie said.
"More than one Cybertronian combined," Tallie explained quickly before Simmons could ask. "Listen, while you're at it can you get someone to destroy this pyramid."
"This pyramid," Simmons asked. "As in the one we're standing on?"
"Yes," Tallie said.
"No can do," he replied quickly. "I have no wish to be bombed."
"Listen Mr. Whatever the heck your name is," Allie snapped suddenly, getting in his face with her eyes blazing. "Under this very rock is a massive machine known as the Solar Harvester that will destroy our sun and ruin our planet if we don't blow it off the face of the Earth do I'd make that call."
"Yeah, sure," Simmons said weakly. "But as soon as I do we'd best start climbing down." Fifteen minutes later all three of them were careening down the pyramid, trying to get away before the bombs hit. They weren't as luck as they had hoped.
A massive blast struck the side of the pyramid and sent Tallie flying through the air. She expected to land hard on the sand but instead a massive metal hand carefully caught her and set her down. She turned and found herself looking at Soundwave. "You...you're still alive?" she asked, stunned.
"Affirmative," Soundwave said weakly. "Reason: Megatron is a poor shot when angry."
"Guess that explains why he always misses Optimus in battle then," Tallie said and the Decepticon actually chuckled. Tallie turned to look where the pyramid was then and froze. The stone was gone but the machine was not and the Fallen was headed straight for it, dragging Optimus. "This isn't good is it?" she asked.
"Wait," Soundwave said carefully and Tallie quickly looked around for what he might have spotted. Then she saw them. Agent Simmons was running in front of the Fallen, probably yelling something crazy, and the slight shimmer of heat had to be Allie. The Fallen roared in fury as the matrix was suddenly pulled from his hand and a nimble figure leapt into the air to be caught by a massive mechanical bird. Tallie was so focused on her twin that she didn't notice Devastator shaking and whirring until a massive boom rose up, sending a plume of heat and dust flying their direction. And when all cleared the spot where the Solar Harvester had once been was empty.
"What the heck?" Allie asked, coughing slightly as the mechanical bird dropped her.
"No idea," Tallie said weakly, glancing at the matrix glowing in her twin's hands. "Let me see that." Allie handed it over and then yelped, surprised, when her twin slipped it carefully into the gap where Soundwave's chest used to be. She applied a little of her own gift and a blaze of blue light rose up from the matrix just as Tallie passed out from sheer exhaustion.