He talked!
Bumblebee stared at the mechanical tyrannosaurus – Grimlock – in utter amazement. That should not have happened, not with an Allspark fragment this small.
An enormous, metal leg slammed down on the street in front of the museum. The asphalt caved in. Tremors shook the building. Planters and exhibit signs toppled over. So did a few of the humans.
Grimlock roared. He ran forward, then leaped into the air. The . . . Dinobot smashed through the large glass windows above the entrance. Hundreds of shards rained down on the humans. Ironhide twisted around, covering Secretary Keller, his DSS guards, Simmons and a couple of the soldiers.
"Geddown!" Lennox rushed over to Adrianna. He pushed her to the floor and shielded her with his body. Epps, Donnelly, Lieberthal, Hiatt and Yancy did likewise with the reporter's crew.
Bumblebee glanced outside. Grimlock collided feet first with Bruticus's mid-section. The merged Combaticon staggered. Grimlock drew back a clawed hand and slashed Bruticus's hide.
A mechanical squawk sounded above him. The pterodactyl soared through the opening. Missiles flew from its wings. Two fireballs erupted from Bruticus's head.
"Is everyone all right?" Bumblebee headed over to the humans.
They started getting to their feet. Several of them, Lennox's soldiers mostly, had cuts on the backs of their necks and their cheeks.
"I think we'll live, for now," said Lennox.
A mechanical roar from outside caught Bumblebee's attention. He watched Bruticus grab Grimlock and hurl him across the street. The Dinobot smashed through a building, sending a cascade of brick and mortar tumbling to the ground.
Metal footfalls thudded behind him. He turned just as the triceratops charged past. It skidded to a halt a few feet from the humans.
"Excuse me," it croaked.
The humans stepped aside. The triceratops let out a raspy cry and ran through the glass door. It leaped at Bruticus, the two horns above its eyes extending. They pierced the giant Transformer's mid-section. Sparks burst from the wounds. The triceratops snapped its head up. The horns carved further along Bruticus's body.
The brontosaurus and stegosaurus rushed outside. Bruticus rammed a massive fist into the triceratops's side. It spun through the air and rolled across the street. Reddish-blue plasma fire shot from the mouths of the brontosaurus and stegosaurus, striking Bruticus's chest. The larger Transformer stumbled back.
"Big robot not so tough," said the stegosaurus before unleashed another blast of fire.
"How is this possible?" Ironhide turned from the battle to Bumblebee. "They actually have intelligence, self-awareness. How is that possible with that small a fragment?"
Bumblebee accessed the internet and found several articles about the animatronic dinosaurs he'd brought to life. "Those machines apparently had advanced computerized brains. Advanced by human standards, anyway." He glanced at Lennox. "No offense."
"None taken."
Bumblebee continued. "Even before the Allspark transformation they had a certain level of intelligence, a vocabulary, and they could interact with humans. The Allspark energy enhanced it all."
The pterodactyl dove at Bruticus, launching more missiles. They exploded against his chest. Bruticus swung a hand at the pterodactyl. The flying Dinobot banked right, narrowly avoiding the blow.
"We should go," said Ironhide. "We must get the Allspark fragment out of the city."
Bumblebee hesitated, staring through the shattered glass doors and windows at the Dinobots outside. He didn't like the thought of leaving them to fight Bruticus. He created them, after all. They were not mindless, walking weapons like a transformed TV set or radio would have been. These were living beings. He felt a responsibility for them.
The stegosaurus swung its tail. The spikes on the tip sliced into Bruticus's left ankle. The brontosaurus roared and rushed forward. It lowered its shoulder and rammed into the merged Combaticon's left leg. Bruticus fell over and crashed onto the street. A quake shook the entire museum. Adrianna yelped, stumbled back and swung her arms, barely keeping her balance.
Grimlock roared and landed on Bruticus's chest, bent down and clamped his jaws on the large Combaticon's arm. He reared back up, a chunk of metal and circuitry dangling from his mouth.
I think these Dinobots can take care of themselves. Bumblebee turned to Ironhide. "Let's go."
He transformed into a Chevy Camero. Lennox, Simmons, Keller and a DSS guard hurried over to him. The others piled into Ironhide's minivan form.
"Wait!" Adrianna chased after Lennox and the others. "Where are you going?"
"Away from here," said the Spec Ops captain.
"Got any room for a reporter?" she asked.
Keller spun around to face her. "Yeah, I really want to broadcast to the whole world where we are so the Decepticons can find us. Sorry, Miss Rojas, you're staying put."
"Is it because of this fragment you're talking about?" asked Adrianna. "Why is it so important? Why is -"
Bumblebee closed his doors when the humans were all inside, cutting off the reporter. He slowly drove around her, then accelerated, following Ironhide out of the museum. Tires squealing, they made sharp turns onto the street and sped off. Bumblebee scanned behind him. Bruticus pushed himself up to a sitting position. He swatted the stegosaurus, who tumbled to the other side of the street. Grimlock's jaws clamped down on the giant Transformer's right hand. Bruticus raised his other fist.
The pterodactyl squawked and streaked toward Bruticus's face. The Dinobot's spear-like beak pierced the other Transformer's right eye. Bruticus unleashed an agonized howl.
The two Autobots turned down the next street, slowing and swerving to avoid a large group of fleeing humans. Several waved their arms or banged on their chasses, demanding to be let in. Sympathy built up within Bumblebee. He wanted to help these humans get to safety, to make sure Bruticus would not injure or kill them.
We don't have room for all of them.
Guilt scratching at his circuits, he continued along the street, hoping the Dinobots defeated Bruticus. Then he wouldn't have to worry –
"Springer to Ironhide and Bumblebee, do you read me?"
"Affirmative," replied Ironhide.
Joy sparked through Bumblebee. "Am I glad to hear your voice. Are you all right?"
"No." The response was surprisingly terse for Springer. Bumblebee felt a nervous quiver. Something was wrong.
"What is it?" asked Ironhide as he turned onto another street, followed by Bumblebee.
"Megatron got the Allspark fragment we were carrying. We tried to stop him, but . . . Bluestreak was destroyed. So were two of the Qataris, Sidhu and Poddar."
Simmons closed his eyes. Lennox's shoulders sagged as he lowered his head.
Bumblebee slowed, a heavy grief taking over his insides. Bluestreak gone? Another good friend and good soldier claimed by this damned eternal war.
Springer's voice intruded on his mourning. "The last I saw, Megatron and Starscream were flying south."
"Probably here," said Lennox. "Bruticus must've contacted them, told them we have the other fragment."
"Sky Lynx is almost repaired," Springer told them. "We'll join you as soon as possible. Be safe."
"You too," replied Bumblebee. Hard as it was, he tried to put Bluestreak's death out of his mind. He had to focus on the fact two of the most ruthless and deadly Decepticons in the universe were likely headed their way.
He and Ironhide turned onto another street, then another. A long line of unmoving vehicles lay ahead of them.
"Dammit," Lennox cursed as the two Autobots slowed to a halt.
"We'll have to proceed on foot," said Ironhide. "Perhaps find a building to hide in."
"We tried that last time," Bumblebee told him. "Knowing Megatron, he'll do what Bruticus did. Slaughter as many humans as he can until we hand over the fragment." He paused, trying to hold at bay a creeping terror. "We're going to have to fight him."
"Optimus's orders are to keep the fragment safe from Megatron. We cannot do that if we fight him."
"How many humans have already died here?" Bumblebee countered. "How many others will die if Megatron attacks this city?"
"And how many more across this planet will die if Megatron possesses both fragments?" Ironhide responded.
"We're the only ones in this city with a chance of stopping him."
"And if we fall, he'll get the fragment."
"Give it to us," said Lennox.
"What?" Bumblebee blurted.
Lennox patted his grenade launcher. "As good as these RAPTOR rounds are, you're right. You two are the only ones with a chance of stopping Megatron. We can keep the fragment safe."
"Captain Lennox is right," added Secretary Keller. "The Marines will be coming ashore soon. We can use one of their Ospreys to get that fragment as far away from Puerto Rico as possible."
"If Megatron learns you have the fragment . . ." Bumblebee didn't want to finish the sentence, didn't want to think about more friends dying today.
"We're soldiers just like you, Bee," said Lennox. "We know the risks when we put on this uniform."
"Giving the fragment to Captain Lennox and his men is our best option," Ironhide stated. "Given Megatron's feelings toward organic lifeforms, he would never believe we would entrust an Allspark fragment to the humans."
Bumblebee couldn't argue with his friend's logic. Still, what chance would Lennox and his men have should they encounter Megatron?
As he said, they're soldiers. They know the risks.
"All right. We'll hold off Megatron. You get that fragment somewhere safe."
"We will." Lennox thumped the dashboard. "Good luck, Bee."
"And to you."
The humans got out of Bumblebee and Ironhide. Simmons removed the box containing the fragment from Bumblebee's trunk. Lennox led them up the street, then turned left at the first intersection.
"Well, Bumblebee," said Ironhide. "Are you ready?"
"Not really, but we don't have much choice."
"Just stick to the plan and we'll come through this alive."
"What plan is that?"
"Don't stop firing at Megatron and Starscream."
Bumblebee couldn't help but chuckle softly.
The two Autobots transformed back into robot mode. The doors of several vehicles flew open. Humans jumped out of them, screaming and running. Bumblebee and Ironhide ignored them and leaped to the roof of a nearby building.
Bumblebee scanned the airspace around Ponce. In the distance he saw two aircraft approaching. An SU-30 and an F-22.
Megatron and Starscream.
Terror sank into his circuits. Megatron. Ravager of worlds. Slayer of countless Autobots, including Primes. The ultimate evil in the known universe.
And now I have to fight him.
Bumblebee straightened up. Box-shaped missile launchers sprang out of his shoulders. A dozen projectiles shot from them. Contrails streaked over the city toward the Decepticons.
"You want the fragment, Megatron, come get it!"
TO BE CONTINUED