Warning for Graphic Violence and Language

Story Arc 1

Chapter 10

"Wake up." Some one was shaking me and my head felt like I had been hit by a ton of bricks. My hands were numb and I couldn't move. I opened my eyes with a groan. I was sitting upright in a chair and my hands and ankles were tied back. I blinked in the light trying to gather my wits. Where am I?

A man in a black suit leaned in with a penlight and flashed it in my eyes, "You could have given her a concussion, Erickson."

"All that matters is that we have her." I tried to see where the other voice was coming from. Charlie was tied up in a chair next to me with a gag in his mouth. There was late afternoon sunlight streaming in from windows high above us. It looked like we were in an old warehouse. A large garage door was open letting in a cool.

"Anyways, the General and the Director will be here in a few minutes. We just need the bitch awake to answer questions." The voice walked into view. It was the man with too much hair gel.

"She won't answer much of anything if you rattled her brains." The penlight flicked off and the man stood up looking at hair gel guy. He shook his head and walked away from Charlie and I and sat down in another chair, keeping an eye on the open door. Hair gel guy started to pace.

The breeze helped clear the fog from my mind. There was throbbing lump on the back of my head. Why am I here? Ironhide and the others had to be missing me by now; hopefully they were searching for me. I squinted my eyes against the light again. I tried moving my arms gently to see how tightly my bonds were. The cords holding my wrists bit into my skin. I had to get out of here. If I could only get my palm pilot… Wait. It wasn't in my pocket anymore.

I looked around only to see hair gel guy holding my palm pilot and watching me, "Looking for this, Dr. Milne?"

I tried to glare at him except it made my head hurt worse. He laughed at me. Damnit. Maybe Jazz could track the palm pilot without me activating the beacon. I had to hope he could.

The engine of a car could be heard coming closer. I looked up hoping for a friendly vehicle; one that would knock the smile for hair gel guy's face. Instead it was a black car with some government insignia on the side. It pulled up in front of us, and penlight guy stood up to greet the car's occupants.

General Sellers exited the car along with another man in a black suit. He was older than the other two suits and was fat and balding. "Good job, Erickson. Franklin. I hope she wasn't too hard to convince to bring to our meeting." He was the other voice from the video conference this morning.

I looked up at the General, "What is the meaning of this, General Sellers?"

The General looked at Charlie, who was now looking up at the General with pleading eyes, then back to me, "We needed to change the time of the meeting, Dr. Milne."

"Why are we being held like this if it's just for the meeting?" Head hurting or not, I was mad.

The bald guy answered, "Considering that you've been living with the aliens for a few months now, we didn't think they would consent for you to leave."

"So you resorted to kidnapping?"

"We felt it was the easiest method to bring you in."

"Bring me in for what?" I looked from the General to this Director guy. My stomach felt like a sinking pit.

"The Department of Defense has made some very bad decisions in the past year. You being left in the care of the alien element and giving them full access to our greatest defense being the main one."

"But we're allied with the Autobots!" They had to be searching for me by now. Prowl was right. This was all about them and the nanites.

The General looked at me, "The situation has changed."

"Is this why the Secretary is being called a traitor?"

"That is exactly why. The Secretary did not properly assess the situation with the aliens and now we have the safety of the entire planet to worry about. We cannot allow the alien element access to the nanite project. The ability to be invulnerable to any damage means we will be powerless in the event they turn on us."

"'In the event they turn on us?' You're thinking they'll take over the planet? Are you nuts? They're doing their best to keep from being seen!"

"Which is why they are now a threat to us and to the planet. We did not invite them or their war and to give them access to what could be our only chance of fighting back is out of the question."

"But they aren't causing any trouble to us or the planet!"

"That is not for you to decide, Dr. Milne."

"Then who made this astute decision that we're being taken over by aliens?"

"The decision came from higher up the chain of command." I rolled my eyes in disgust.

"I am getting very tired of your lip, Dr. Milne."

A small light bulb went off in my head, "You do realize that the nanites do not work on the Autobots."

"Oh?" That caught the director's interest.

"Yeah, the nanites do not work with their physiology."

"And?"

"And they have no need for the nanites. Which means they wouldn't be invincible, and I know they wouldn't take over the world, so all of this paranoia is unnecessary."

The director looked at the General then back to me, a look of pure annoyance on his face, "Do you take me for a fool, Dr. Milne? You do really think your 'threat assessment' of the aliens that you've been living with means squat to me?"

"But.."

"Dr. Milne, the only thing you've said that was any interest to me is that the nanites do not work on the aliens. I'm sure after repatriation, you and our government scientists can work with that tidbit of information to create a weapon to use against them," the director leveled his gaze at me. His bulk had started sweating as he got worked up over my questions.

"I will do no such thing! They are peaceful and are trying to protect us and stay out of our way! I will not let you use my research to destroy them!" I tried to struggle against the bonds. I had to get out of here now.

"Dr. Milne, that research is property of the US Government, and you will do what your government wants you to do or you can join the Secretary on trial," the General crossed his arms over his chest. "I've been to Guantanamo Bay, and I'm sure you would not like their accommodations. I would consider my options very carefully, Dr. Milne."

"But they haven't done anything wrong. They haven't hurt anyone! I won't let you use the nanites against them!"

The director's face started to get red and splotchy as he got angry with me, "You don't have a say in the matter. Now, here is what you will do, Dr. Milne. You will contact your alien friends and tell them that they have 12 hours to relinquish your research and leave the planet. If they refuse, we will be forced to use any means necessary to remove them ourselves."

"What do you mean 'any means necessary'?"

The director pulled out his cell phone, very exasperated with the conversation, "One call from me, and I can have every tactical ballistic missile from the ships at the San Diego Naval Base armed and aimed at the aliens' base of operations." His eyes held a deadly cold glare as if he was daring me to make the call.

I slumped in my chair, my eyes falling to my lap. I had no choice; I couldn't let anything happen to Jazz or the others. "Some things in life we have no control over. No one likes t' feel like a pawn in someone else's game, but in war, we all end up being pawns. Pieces that are expendable if needed." I now understood exactly what Jazz meant by those words from that night that seemed eons ago.

I could feel hot tears forming, 'I'll call them.." I whispered as I tried to choke back those tears, "but you must let go of Charlie and his family before I will make the call."

I looked up to see the director guy nod to hair gel guy. He smiled and walked between Charlie and I. At least I could get Charlie out of this mess, I sighed resignedly. But Charlie looked scared and started to struggle screaming into the gag over his mouth.

Click. BANG!

Charlie's body twitched violently before the chair he was in toppled over. Where his face had been twisted in fear a moment before was now a bloody pulp of flesh and brain matter. There was blood everywhere. His body was still twitching on the floor in a growing puddle of gore. I screamed. "Oh my god! You killed him! Why! Oh my god, Charlie!" I couldn't stop screaming. Hair gel guy put his gun back in its holster and straightened his jacket.

Pen light guy had stood up and was brushing off his pants with a handkerchief, "Fucking hell, Erickson. You could have warned me before you did that. You know how hard it is to get that out of an Armani?" He flicked a sliver of bone from his sleeve.

The director stood there calmly, but the General was unnerved, "Hey now, that was unnecessary. You could have let my people have him back. He wouldn't have been a problem."

"Do you have a problem with it, General Sellers?"

The General looked at the growing pool of blood on the floor and cringed.

The director laughed patting the General on the shoulder, "You're a military man. You know that in a time of war, these things are necessary. Too many people know about this already, General Sellers. The fewer that remember this, the better."

"But Dr. Milne agreed to place that call. Did you really need to kill the man? You had him cowed enough that I'm sure he wouldn't have ever spoke of it." The director ignored him and came over to my chair where I was still screaming. The director slapped me across the face hard. I took my eyes from Charlie's twitching form and looked the balding man in the eyes. I started sobbing uncontrollably and he slapped me again.

"Be quiet, or I'll have Erickson give you something to yell about Dr. Milne.' I bit my lip to stifle another sob.

"I believe we understand each other now." He gave me a fake smile putting his hand on my shoulder, "You will call the aliens and you will not make any more demands."

I couldn't hold the sobbing back as I looked at Charlie again. That awarded me with another biting slap across my face. I could taste blood as he held his hand up to slap me again, " I said be quiet –"

The General caught the director's hand inches before my face, "Enough. She said she'd call."

Hair gel guy's gun was back in his hand and pointed at General Sellers. I cringed as all three men stood over me. The director shook his hand free from the General's grasp and stepped back from me. The General locked eyes with hair gel guy.

The director nodded to pen light guy who immediately stopped cleaning off his suit and pulled his gun, "You know, General. I think necessity dictates that we end this meeting."

The General nodded not taking his eyes from hair gel guy, "Agreed. Where do we let her make the call from?"

"I don't think that is a concern for you anymore, General Sellers," the director opened the door to the car, "I think we made a mistake in inviting you to our meeting."

BANG! BANG!

As the General turned to look him, pen light guy shot him twice in the chest. I flinched as I felt his blood spray across my face. I shut my eyes tightly and bit my lip to keep from sobbing again. I knew right then that after I made the call they were going to kill me. They were probably going to send those missiles after the Autobots after they got the research from them too. My mind was racing then. There was no way out. Poor Charlie. The Autobots weren't going to find me in time. I had left the Ark without saying goodbye to Jazz. His infectious smile and melodious voice filled my mind. There was so much I had wanted to say to him and now I was never going to get the chance. I'm so sorry, Jazz.

Pen light guy had put his gun away now and started to walk to the car. Hair gel guy leaned down and cut the bonds that held my ankles before pulling me roughly to my feet. He pushed me forwards and I stumbled over the General's legs. He wasn't dead yet, but the pool of blood forming under him meant he was dying. I looked into the General's graying face; he tried to say something but blood came out of his mouth. Hair gel guy yanked me back on my feet. He really seemed to be enjoying all of this.

He was laughing at something and I tried to struggle against his grasp. My mind was clouding up as I watched the General try to crawl towards us. I just watched two people I had known be slaughtered and my mind was shutting down. Suddenly there was the ungodly roar of jet engines that made the lump on my head throb with renewed intensity. Pen light guy pulled his gun and the director got out of the car, "What in the hell is that?"

Hair gel guy pulled my arms up at such an angle that I had to stand on my toes to keep the pain at bay. I could feel my palm pilot in his pocket and I could almost reach it with my fingers. He didn't seem to notice what I was doing. Instead he leveled his gun at pen light guy, "I'm so sorry director, but the good doctor here and I have a flight to catch."

I didn't fully catch what he was saying, as I was more concerned about getting the palm pilot. Just a little more… got it! My fingers pulled the device from his pocket and I flipped the beacon on. He still hadn't noticed, but now he was dragging me out the door. I realized he had turned his gun on the other two as we made it to the large garage door.

"You know, I fully believe in the philosophy that the fewer people that remember, the better."

BANG! BANG!

He shot pen light guy twice. I flinched away from him but the noise from the gun up close made me drop my palm pilot. The director yelled at him, "Erickson! What the hell are you doing?! I'll have your badge for that!" BANG!

I looked up as the director fell to his knees. Blood bubbled from his mouth as the life in his face fled. His eyes held their gaze with him in the frozen question of 'why'. The scene before me played out in slow motion. My eyes falling over the four bodies that now littered the floor of the warehouse. It felt like a nightmare that I couldn't wake up from, the noise adding a surreal yet physically painful edge to the images.

Hair gel guy yanked on my arms again and pulled me out the doors. I flinched in the sunlight and turned my head to the ground. The noise was even louder outside. My head throbbed with renewed intensity as the noise took on a physical form. The roaring engines cut and three loud crunches came from the right. I opened my eyes slowly. The sunlight was gone and we were in shadow. I looked on the ground for the palm pilot, hoping it was still functioning. It was over by the side of the door inside one of the shadows, very strange looking shadows. Shadows that were moving. I looked up and saw three very tall mechs standing there. Three mechs that I didn't know. Three mechs with the purple Decepticon symbols on wings outstretched behind them. They were identical to each other, just painted differently.

"I have brought the doctor as promised." Hair gel guy jerked on my arms again as if emphasizing my presence.

"I can see that, human." The voice was loud and grating and I clenched my teeth as I got pushed towards the three mechs.

"I lived up to my end of the bargain. Did you bring my money?"

The two mechs on the sides of the one who talked laughed, "Oh yes. We have your payment." It lifted its arm and aimed a huge rifle at hair gel guy. "We can pay you right now."

"Hey wait this wasn't part of the deal!" BRRZZAPP!

I could feel the heat from the gun and I tried to shield my eyes from the intense light. I blinked rapidly trying to get my sight back. The smell of burnt meat and hair assaulted my senses. All that remained of hair gel guy was a large burn mark on the concrete. That made all three mechs laugh as if it was some hilarious joke.

A large blue hand plucked me from the ground and held me level with its face. Blood red optics regarded me for a moment. "Are you scared, human?"

I had seen too much in the past half hour to care anymore. I knew I was going to die no matter whose hands I was in.

"Who'd be scared of a Decepti-creep?" Yes, it was a lame insult, but I didn't really care.

"Aw, that wasn't a very nice thing to say, fleshling." He shook me hard as I hung between his fingers, "But I guess that proves what the other said about you working for the Autobots."

I tried to fight the urge to throw up as my equilibrium was assailed again. Something on the left mech started beeping and he sneered, "Autobots."

"We have what we came for," the mech that held me jumped into the air, letting me fall as his body transformed around me. I couldn't help screaming and the other two laughed as they jumped into the air and transformed as well. I fell into the cockpit and my head slammed against the seat hard. I couldn't hold onto consciousness and I blacked out.

The air exploded as three f-15 jets boomed into the sky. A palm pilot lay below where the jets had occupied moments before, it's screen flashing red as a small tracing beacon embedded in it sends out a futile call for help that will be too late to do anything…