Again with the next-day update. I know, I know. I do apologize for the short chapter, but it is building to the hopefully-epic climax of this entire series. Lots of action coming up, for those of you who enjoy it.

Anyway, I don't own Transformers. Trina Garrison – who, right now, is one of my favorite OC's - and the rest of the lot ( You know who they are) are mine, though. If you want to use any of them, go ahead, but please ask first. Oh, and don't forget to leave a review!

The tunnel curved. It dipped. More than once Mikaela bashed her head against the ceiling and cursed so loud that Trina dropped her spear just to cover her ears.

Maybe this really was suicide. Sure, they were big. Sure, all of them, Trina included, were skilled in a fight.

But them against the Brotherhood, and Barricade? And the monster?

Those were the sides, and the odds were not in Mikaela's favor.

So they trekked on, the three Cybertronians crawling on their hands and knees, Trina walking on two legs, holding up the shock-stick and letting its every growing blue hue guide the way. Occasionally one of them would falter and wind up on their face, other times they would jump at a sound and find out that it was just a rat scuffing along. But not once did the smell get better, or worse.

Soon, the tunnel widened. Noises could be heard, coming from up top. Humans. The occasional roar of that awful, Starscream-eyed monster.

"Alister's advice proved useful after all, Trina," Megatron sneered.

"Hey. You said my name!"

And that was the end of that conversation. Mikaela and Optimus chuckled at the pointless banter between them, able to edge onto their knees and sit up, now that the tunnel's ceiling had retreated upward. Mikaela was able to crouch due to her small size, creeping forward towards Megatron, who was peering up.

Human feet shuffled over another metal grate, light streaming through. Megatron was keeping to the shadows, though, just in case.

A roar.

"The monster…." Trina breathed.

Optimus gulped. "I have not seen the creature myself, though I have heard many tales…."

"You don't want to see it," Mikaela whispered back, and Optimus cringed.

"So, are we just bursting in and expecting Fisher or what?" Trina said. "Megatron, Mikaela, this is your specialty. Lead the way."

It was almost a simultaneous event, in itself. Mikaela stood to her full height and Megatron readied his blaster, sticking it up under the metal grate, the familiar whirr of energy indicating that it was about to charge.

"Megatron!" Optimus cried, loud enough for several of the humans to take notice and look down…..

And find themselves staring at the end of Megatron's glowing red weapon.

Blam!

The noise echoed around the tunnel and Trina covered her ears and ducked at the metal grate, along with whoever had been standing on it, was blown upward as if they had been shot out of a cannon. Mikaela watched in awe as bits and pieces of shattered metal and burning flesh rained down from the square hole, content to just sit back and let Megatron do all the hard work.

The silver mech hoisted himself up and into the room above, gesturing for the rest of them to follow. Mikaela grabbed Trina around the waist and followed, Optimus scurrying up right behind her.

What a grand entrance the had made, Mikaela mused.

The glare of the lights settled down and Mikaela was able to see which room they had come upon. It was more of a cavern than a laboratory, littered with startled humans as they got a glimpse of the three massive, and one small yet heavily armed figured in the center of the room.

And, almost all of them pointed in unison at the hallway on the opposite side of the room.

"He's down that way," one of them squeaked. "He's been expecting you."

"Of course he has," Mikaela mumbled, and followed as Megatron thundered across the room, disappearing around the corner. Trina ran behind him, and then Mikaela, and then Prime.

The hallway dipped and curved and sloped, the corners becoming narrow and the ceiling decreasing in height, much to Optimus' distaste. There was no telling what was at the end – maybe a squadron of guards all armed with shock-sticks, maybe Barricade and Fisher maybe the creature.

As they found out six minutes later, it was all of the above.

Megatron inched into the mine first, gazing up at the black, energon littered walls. The massive cubes provided most of the light in the room, and Mikaela couldn't even tell how high the ceiling rose up into the air.

Of all the things too see before you die….it just had to be cubes and cubes of energon.

"Fucking hoarders," Trina spat, disgusted.

And, of course, as always, the Honorable Caine Fisher was there as well, standing next to a massive, brown object with his hand on its hide. Mikaela knew what it was. Hoped it didn't move or raise its massive head because there was no way in hell she could stand to look into those deep, crimson, familiar optics.

Barricade flanked Fisher, along with several guards. Not enough to take on any of them – well, maybe Trina, but her ruthlessness would provide her with something of an advantage.

Speaking of Trina, the human was clicking off the safety on her gun.

"Now, now, Garrison," Fisher soothed. "No need for that."

Weapons ready. Barricade crouched in front of his accomplice like some sort of leaping lion.

"Optimus Prime," he continued. "And Megatron? Alive and well, I see. Tell me, how have you managed to pull together this little band of misfits and work together under the same roof?"

"Mikaela warned you that we were collaborating, fleshling," Megatron snarled. "It was unwise not to take that into notice."

"And do what?" He spread his arms out wide, his gold embedded tie flapping as he said, "Call of my entire operation? No, it was you who was unwise, Megatron. I made it clear that anyone who gets in my way will pay the price. Starscream learned that the hard way."

Megatron lunged but Optimus tackled him like a linebacker, pulling him back and snarling, "Let it go and focus on what we're here to do!"

A chuckle. Fisher patted the side of the monsters head and it stirred, much to Mikaela's horror. It unfurled long, veined wings that stretched towards the ceiling, its monstrosity of a head peeking out from behind its forearm. Jagged teeth stretched into a horrifying pantomime of a grin, optics zeroing in on Megatron, Prime, Mikaela, and Trina.

Megatron made a noise in the back of his throat that sounded like a whimper. Trina just stared, trying to seem indifferent but failing. Optimus' face was a mixture of rage, horror, and awe.

Mikaela was the only one who looked calm, but on the inside. She was screaming. Screaming and screaming and screaming. She had no doubt that on command, this creature would kill all four of them.

And it would. But not now. She knew Fisher, knew that he would drag this out as long as he could, just for the fun of it.

She steeled herself and said, "This is crazy. The government won't take…." She gestured to the dragon, watching smoke curl from its nostrils. "Whatever this is."

"It's the ultimate bribe, Miss Banes," he answered gleefully. "This was a long time coming. Your father, when he was imprisoned, he knew of such plans. Did he tell you, or did dear old daddy wait too long?"

Now it was Mikaela's turn to lunge and Megatron's turn to grab her around the waist, lips tickling her audio receptors.

She shoved him away, the events from a few nights ago coming back, tenfold. She didn't want him touching her. Never would.

"Mark my words," Mikaela snarled. "You will not leave here tonight alive."

"You came to kill me?" Fisher seemed a tad bit nervous, but quickly shut it down once he seemed to realized that the odds of Mikaela and the others winning against Barricade, the guards, himself, and the creature, were slim.

Mikaela said, a devilish smile creeping onto her lips, "Answer this, Caine," her lip plates twitched upward in a nasty sneer. "Which would you prefer? Death, or madness?"

"Madness," he answered. "Because I'd rather go mad than die by your hands."

"Fair enough."

She lunged, leaping over Trina's shivering frame towards him…..

She didn't expect for a massive white and black police mech to body slam her, full speed, like a battering ram. The air exploded from her and she gasped, seeing Optimus and Megatron and Trina begin to react, weapons raised.

"Wait!" A voice cried, as Barricade hooked a fist into her face. Hot, fresh energon spilled from her lips and she gave a gurgling protest. "Wait!"

Barricade eased back.

Fisher was clapping languidly, leaning against the creature and looking utterly bored even though he had been charged by the snarling, angry bull that was Mikaela.

"Before I go insane, I have one final request," he examined his nails, trying to look nonchalant. "I do so love games, as you know. Any game. But one in particular has always been my favorite."

Mikaela watched, still being straddled by Barricade, as he said, "Banes versus Barricade. One-on-one."

"The terms?" Barricade interjected.

"Too the death."

Optimus sucked in a breath and Megatron narrowed his optics, saying, "And does she get any say in this?"

"Oh, come now," Fisher chided. "She already gets the luxury of driving me to insanity."

Mikaela pushed Barricade away, stemming the flow of energon from her nose and lips. She stumbled on her feet, but righted herself, watching the human guards advance forward, shock-sticks in hand. The pushed Trina and the others to the opposite end of the room, up against the wall, wary.

"The stage is all yours, Miss Banes," Fisher said, and the creature tilted its abomination of a head to the side, its optics – no, Starscream's optics – staring at Mikaela, seeming to slice past to her very spark. "Make it count."

Barricade circled her, his talons clicking dangerously. Mikael tried to recall what Ironhide had taught her, the stances, the moves, but all she got was a blank page. The fear, it was robbing her of the ability to think and she was sure she would die if she didn't…..

"Remember," Optimus whispered through the link. "Knees bent, arms out. You can do this. I love you, no matter what happens, alright?"

"Love you, too."

Barricade lunged and Mikaela threw herself to the side, back digging into the hard concrete floor.

"It's almost ironic," Fisher chimed. "Two neutral Cybertronians, fighting for a title. Well, you know what they say…."

Mikaela stared at him with utter hatred and contempt.

"May the best traitor win."