Chapter 11:
Hunted
The drive back to Jasmine's house seemed quite peaceful; at least that is what Optimus had hoped and with Midnight curled up on Jasmine's lap while watching her sleep, he could concentrate on driving. The night was still young, and it would be an hour before they would reach their destination. Sometimes his hologram's eyes shifted over to the young woman and he always ended up brushing away some of the black strands of hair that fell over her peaceful face. She seemed so relaxed in this position, and so vulnerable too. It made Optimus feel slightly protective of her like a father would for his children.
This thought made him raise an eyebrow in puzzlement. Him being protective of her? Wasn't that normal for a guardian with his charge? Bumblebee had once said that he too felt the desperate need to protect Sam at all costs. Well, now that the thought of Sam crossed his processor, he should think about introducing Jasmine to both him and Mikaela sometime. He hadn't even seen her interact with other humans during the time he had known her, so it seemed appropriate that he would have her be a bit more sociable with her own kind.
He would have to talk with Jason about it in the morning, but right now he had to focus on getting Jasmine safely back home.
Suddenly, Midnight started growling, surprising Optimus completely. He turned his head to see the black puppy was sitting upright and looking through his window. Her tail was raised high along with her hackles, a low growl was heard from deep within her throat.
Optimus recalled from researching on the World Wide Web about organic animals being highly sensitive about certain things, especially during earthquakes. From what he knew, humans took extra care when their animals begin acting weird. This may be one of those events. "Midnight, what is it?" he questioned the puppy.
Midnight's growls grew louder and she started barking lowly, low enough to warn Optimus that something was wrong. With his sensors going off like crazy, Optimus quickly scanned the area and he realised what Midnight had been growling at the whole time. It was a very familiar black and white Saleen police car, one that bore a familiar symbol. It took him at least a few astroseconds to realise who it was: Barricade.
Having two passengers inside him and with a Decepticon no doubtfully going to chase him, Optimus had no choice but to disturb Jasmine. He reached a hand forward and gently shook her on the shoulder to awaken her, causing her eyelids to flutter open and look up at Optimus with puzzlement.
"Optimus," she groaned as she stretched her muscles, "what's going on?"
"Be quiet, Jasmine," Optimus ordered sternly as he covered her mouth with a hand, earning a surprised look from the young woman. "Whatever you do, do not look out the window, and do not panic."
"Why, what's wrong?" Jasmine mumbled through the hand, her eyes widening with fear.
When Optimus didn't respond, he immediately detected the rise of temperature in her body and the quickened heartbeat inside her chest. He also detected a rush of adrenaline being poured into her bloodstream, and her breathing became quick. Worry made Optimus' spark pulse quicken as it too pumped energon throughout his body at an alarming rate. He kept himself from showing the fear on his holographic face, for fear that Jasmine may overreact. He didn't need to tell her that they were being followed by an enemy of his people. From the looks on her face, she seemed convinced enough to not breathe a word.
Barricade seemed to detect Optimus' pulsing spark for he drew closer towards his victims and began flashing his beacons, signalling for them to pull over. Anguish flew through Optimus' body but he knew that he must comply or else risk losing everything he knew and loved. However, something inside him told him that he shouldn't pull over, even if it was part of the law.
He glanced down at Jasmine and he could see her fear as she pulled Midnight closer to her chest and curl up even deeper into the passenger seat. In response to her growing fear, Optimus softened the seat in a fatherly embrace, letting her know that he was here and that he would protect her with his life if he had to.
"Are you afraid, Jasmine?" he whispered to her.
She nodded, tears filling her eyes as she reached out to him for comfort. He responded by taking her hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"Fear will help you to survive, Little One," he told her. "However, it can also cloud your judgement if you are not careful. It can heighten your senses and it can make you faster or stronger, depending on how you choose, but it can only last for so long. Use that fear to your advantage."
He looked her straight in the eye, a serious expression on his holographic face.
"Do you trust me, Jasmine Clark?" he asked.
Whether she heard him or not, he didn't know, but when he saw her nod her head in response, love warmed through his body that told him exactly what he needed to do. He flipped up the gearstick to the highest setting and his back wheels spun wildly, smoking as he pulled away from Barricade. He heard the Decepticon coughing after having smoke get into his articulators.
As Optimus pulled away, he could detect Barricade giving chase. Though he wasn't very fast compared to neither Bumblebee nor Jazz, he had power and endurance on his side. He gunned down even faster as Barricade attempted to close the gap between them, his audio receptors were filled with Jasmine's nervous whimpering. Was something wrong with her? He didn't know, the only important thing was getting Jasmine away from the Decepticon hunter at all times, even if it cost him his life.
"West Side Freeway," Jasmine screamed over Optimus' furious engine roar. "Turn onto the West Side Freeway!"
Optimus didn't need to be told twice as he turned to the right and onto the freeway. The sirens behind him blazed furiously and he was grateful for the fact that the long road was completely devoid of incoming traffic.
"Optimus, this is Ironhide," Ironhide's familiar voice called through Optimus' internal com-link. "We just detected a Decepticon energy signature that's right on your tailpipe. What the frag is going on?"
Some of the fear withdrew itself from his spark as he heard Ironhide's voice come over the com-link. "Ironhide, I've got Barricade hot on my aft and I can't seem to shake him! No doubt he's after Jasmine. Let the authorities know that I need a clear road."
"Captain Lennox has just ordered the authorities to take care of everything," Ironhide answered. "It was a good thing Ratchet and I were doing some patrol around the town. We're heading straight towards you even as I speak."
"Hurry, Ironhide, I don't know how much longer I can keep this up, and Jasmine is frightened enough as she is," Optimus cried as the desperation was frantic in his tone. He probably couldn't blame himself for being concerned for the wellbeing of his human, but he had to protect her no matter what. He tried to push his engine to its limits as he pushed even further down on the throttle and setting his gearstick to its highest setting.
"We're coming, Optimus, just hold on until we arrive. Our current ETA is twenty minutes."
Twenty minutes was too long, and Optimus wasn't sure if he could keep up this speed for much longer. With the way how he was going in a straight line and the way how Barricade was closing the distance between them, he would have no choice but to do the unthinkable if he was to protect his little Jasmine.
"Optimus, I'm scared..." Jasmine whispered in the gloom as he felt her hands tighten their grip on his seats.
"I know, Jasmine," Optimus spoke calmly, despite the fear he was feeling inside his spark. "I'm afraid as well. I will stop at nothing to protect you, even if I have to give up my own life. I will not let Barricade harm you."
Jasmine's pounding heart seemed to calm when he spoke, and he detected the body temperature drop a little. He would give anything to protect Jasmine. She meant everything to him, and he had only just told her the truth about what had happened to Silverflame, but not the whole truth. He hadn't exactly been honest with her. Frag it to the Pit! He'd be damned if Barricade even thought about touching her!
"You're mine, Prime!" Barricade snarled as the blaring sirens flashed even brighter in Optimus' rear-view mirror. Then he detected an all too familiar shifting noise, a noise that gave every Autobot or Decepticon an adrenaline rush as they performed their transformation sequence.
To Optimus, everything seemed to slow down as he watched Barricade from behind in his side-view mirrors. The black and white mech's transformation into his bipedal form was slow and easy to predict. Timing was everything if Optimus was to get Jasmine out of this alive. One wrong move and he was finished or Jasmine would get seriously hurt.
He watched as Barricade leapt forward, arms extended and red optics flashing dangerously in a predatory like way. In a dangerous response – he mentally prayed that he wouldn't regret this – Optimus slammed on the brakes and he reduced his gearstick to the lowest setting, causing Jasmine to scream and Midnight to howl frantically. Barricade flew over the Autobot commander and rolled several times as Optimus grounded to a halt and twisted himself until driver's side was facing where the Decepticon had fallen.
"Jasmine," Optimus spoke up, catching Jasmine's attention as she came out from her state of shock, "I need you to get out and take Midnight. Get as far away as you can while I fight Barricade. I promised myself I would get you out of this alive, and I am a mech of my honour."
"No!" Jasmine cried firmly, tears streaming down her cheeks as she leaned forward to embrace Optimus' dashboard. "I won't let you do this! Please don't leave me, Optimus!"
"This is for your own safety, Jasmine," Optimus stated. "As a guardian, it is my sworn duty to protect you... no matter the cost."
"Optimus... please..." Jasmine begged pathetically. "I don't want to leave you to fight that monster..."
"Jasmine, now!" Optimus commanded at the top of his voice. "I'm not going to tell you again! Go now before Barricade will do more than harm you!"
When his tone changed, Jasmine flinched in fear. She nodded, knowing that arguing with a powerful mech that was roughly twenty times her size was extremely pointless. She picked up Midnight carefully and grabbed her walking stick.
She hobbled furiously to get away from the road just as Optimus completed his transformation. She continued to move until she was well away from the battlefield, glancing back over her shoulder just in time to see a silver mask slide into place. It covered up his facial features, shielding him from any kind of physical attack from the enemy. She saw him glance at her and his bright blue optics illuminated in the moonlit night. She could have sworn he said something to her before he turned his back on her just in time to get a punch in the face from Barricade.
Optimus barely managed to block the second incoming punch with a wrist. He was eternally grateful for his massive height as he towered over Barricade. But Barricade was a dangerous mech, even to those who were taller than him. He was not a hunter for nothing.
The blue and red Autobot transformed his hand into a blade just as Barricade flung his mace at him. The mace wrapped around the blade's middle and Optimus felt the strength from the tug. However, he was undeterred as he used his other hand to grab the mace's chain and tug it backwards, forcing Barricade to stumble. As Barricade got closer from the stumble, Optimus raised his knee and slammed it dead centre into his midsection, causing the Decepticon to howl in agony and spit out energon that splattered onto Optimus' mask.
The energon stained his mask blue as it dried upon contact, but he ignored it as he charged forward and tackled Barricade to the ground. Barricade hissed violently as he struggled under the weight of the massive Autobot. Optimus lashed out with his sword towards Barricade's throat, but the mech rolled aside as the blade ended up piercing dirt instead. Barricade then gathered his legs beneath his body and kicked Optimus straight in the face, shattering half of his mask, but the furious glare upon his face was enough to make any Decepticon tremble at the sight, but not Barricade.
"You will hand me the girl, Prime!" Barricade hissed as he managed to back away several steps and stare into the face of the Autobot commander. "Starscream will reward me handsomely for capturing her."
"Why do you even want her, Barricade?" Optimus snapped as his mouth formed into a growl. "She's not part of this war!"
"She is now that you are protecting her," Barricade smirked.
Before Optimus could respond, the small Decepticon transformed into his vehicle mode and drove at high speeds straight towards the Autobot commander, who was blinded by the headlights that shone brightly in his optics. It was enough for Barricade to get at Optimus and slash at his side, earning a cry of agony. Energon dripped from the large cut on his side and he used a hand to cover up the injury and try to stop the bleeding. He glanced down at the opening, only to see more energon gushing out like an erupted volcano.
"Ratchet, I'm badly injured!" Optimus announced. "What's your ETA?"
"Frag it, Optimus!" Ratchet hollered. "You just can't keep yourself out of trouble. ETA is ten minutes."
Frag, Optimus considered bitterly, not enough time. He glanced over his shoulder to catch a glimpse with his night vision of Jasmine trembling in the dark as she clutched Midnight tightly to her chest. He knew she was scared for his wellbeing, but he couldn't focus on that right now. Despite his injuries, he could still fight for a little while longer. He could detect his internal systems were working on doing minor repairs to the opening in his side and no doubt it would make him stiff later... if he survived later.
"Soon your precious human will belong to the Decepticons," Barricade snarled from the darkness, causing Optimus to look up just in time to twist his head to the left to avoid getting a punch in the face. "It's time for you to die!"
The next thing Optimus knew, the small mace transformed from the hand and pierced into his right shoulder. He felt the spikes burrow deeply into the armour and he gritted his dental plates to avoid spilling out a cry of pain. He would not give Barricade the satisfaction of being in pain, otherwise weakness would be a way of showing that he had indeed injured him seriously. He raised the hand that was armed with the blade and hacked off the mace from its chain.
The shock of having his mace sliced off from its chain was enough to have Barricade back off and Optimus took advantage of the situation by raising the blade and slicing off the rest of the arm that was bonded to the chain, earning a satisfying howl from the Decepticon's mouth. More energon fell onto the ground and merged with Optimus' own. Struggling to ignore the incoming wave of pain, Optimus then released an upper backhand slap that caused Barricade to fly through the air and crash into a nearby sign, which shattered underneath his weight.
Optimus stalked up to the fallen Decepticon, still clutching his side painfully to stop the bleeding. Once he was in plain view, he stared maliciously into his red optics, the midnight moon lightening up his bright blue optics, turning them silver. He slapped a foot down upon the Decepticon's chest plates and applied some pressure that was enough to make him gasp for air.
"Why does Starscream want Jasmine?" Optimus demanded, his tone lowering dangerously.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Barricade shot back. "He should be here right about..."
A bloodcurdling scream echoed from behind Optimus and he whirled in time to see Starscream making a grab for Jasmine and she ended up dropping poor Midnight as he picked her up in his clawed hands.
"JASMINE!"