Annabelle was quick to get out of Barricade's cab once he brought them all to a stop, giving distance as the cruiser didn't bother to let the two men out on their own. Instead he transformed with them still inside, causing the two to fling out and tumble on the ground.
Leo sputtered as he sat up, punching the ground. "Really, really bro? We didn't say nothing!"
Barricade merely sneered as he straightened up to walk past them, leaving the men to pick themselves up, Simmons groaning from his now sore back.
Annabelle continued on toward the collection of Cons outside the rundown train station, much like the place Megatron had healed her in. She walked along the platform toward the lonely train car that still remained. Hearing Simmons and Leo follow in turn, each giving weary glances toward the observing growls and glares of the Cons, Annabelle stopped quickly as the smaller Youngling lunged out with a shriek to get between her and the men.
"Whoa whoa whoa!" Leo jumped back in surprise, hands up as Simmons brought up a fist.
"Hey!" Annabelle stopped the Youngling, who lowered its ruffled plating to look at her. "It's fine, buddy, leave them alone. I'm good."
"Least he has right to be weary." Air-Warrior remarked from his perch atop the station building, looming over the men as they resumed walking around the Youngling.
"So what, we gettin' the old pony express suite tonight or what?" Simmons tossed his head towards the frowning gaze of Megatron in front of the train car.
"Unless you prefer the ground." The mech sneered, unamused by the tone of the former agent.
Annabelle took the hint and went towards the open train car, skipping a few steps to get inside. She stopped as she heard another yelp from Leo at a sharper snarl, and stuck her head out of a window to see Dreadbot pointing one of his guns in the mens' faces.
"Hey hey, YOUR boss said we could, ah, lay it down!" Simmons glared as the mech rattled a short string of Cybertronian, shoving the cannon closer to them.
"Dread'. Chill already, they get it." Annabelle sighed as the mech looked to her with a narrow gaze, but with a disgusted growl sharply put away his weapon. She shook her head as she ducked back in to better observe the train car. As the men cautiously stepped inside, Annabelle could make out that it was more of a lounge car if anything else, with the occasional armchair and drinking tables. By this point dust and grime had settled in, which she leaned down to blow some off a table out of curiosity.
"Well, ain't this quaint?" Simmons crossed his arms, kicking at one of the chairs. "Not anything cozier around, ah?" he called up at the ceiling, knowing fully well the Cons were listening in.
"Dude when are you gonna STOP pissin them off?" Leo tugged at his shoulder. "I almost got my head squashed a second ago, last thing I need is goin' down like some puss, alright bro? Swear to God if I gotta throw you out at them first to save my ass I swear I'll DO IT."
"Guys, cmon." Annabelle faced them, her tone more exhausted. "You know I didn't have to stick my neck out for you guys, right? Just chill out right now, okay? I call you lucky enough Megatron didn't just kill you guys outright. Let alone let you guys stay in here with me." She did shrug with folded arms as she glanced up. "But, I guess they got no problem ripping roofs off."
Simmons puffed, ignoring her observation. "Nice enough for ya, kid, but I don't gotta say thanks if it ya didn't thank me for bailin' you from Savey boy, ah. Things go smoothly by the end of all this, ya might, might get one."
"I owed you, okay? And like it or not the Cons owe you guys a little bit too for saving me. This shouldn't even be happening, but it is, so maybe just listen to Leo this time and, not press your luck." The teen sighed again with a rub to her eyes. "Let's, let's just get some sleep okay?"
"Uh," Leo looked around the car, finding only one armchair and a short couch as the best options to sleep in. "Where you want?"
Annabelle tilted her head at him. She shrugged anyway. "Whichever you guys want, I'm cool wherever."
"My back's blown, kids, I'm takin the couch." Simmons smugly spoke, stretching his arms as he turned around to lay back on the couch. But as he did, a single metal digit stuck though a broken window to hook the back of the couch, and pull it out from under him, succeeding in him hitting the floor back first.
As Simmons shouted out then grumbled under his breath, Megatron removed his claw. "That will be her spot, Agent." He spoke plainly, flashing his optics knowingly at Annabelle.
"No problem." Leo quickly spat out, clapping his hands together, not bound to start an argument with the tyrant. "Chair's mine. S'all good." Just to prove he wouldn't complain, he plopped himself in the chair.
Annabelle stepped over Simmons as he rolled onto his hands and knees, and she grunted a sigh as she sprawled out on the couch. However, she had to sit up to get the now uncomfortable hoverboard off, and lean it on the other side of the couch arm. She ignored the stare from Simmons, who straightened his coat out to go attempt to sit on one of the still-standing bar stools, and lay his head on the mini bar counter with folded arms.
Leo swallowed awkwardly, and stole a look out the window at some of the warning gazes of the Cons who were keen to make sure none of them would try anything with Annabelle. Despite his fear of their situation, the younger man wanted to somehow get on Annabelle's good side, and hopefully have the Cons chill out with him to some degree.
"Uh, Anna?" Leo asked, pausing as he heard a single growl outside.
Annabelle hummed as she draped an arm over her eyes.
"You, too cold?" The man locked up at the lower warning growl, now catching glance of Megatron's gaze. "Cuz uh, if, if you were I was gonna..say you could, have my jacket." He tried for an innocent smirk, more towards the watching Megatron. "I mean uh, kinda, stuffy around here for me lately so uh, if you want uh…can totally take it."
At first she was about to refuse, but she did frown after a thought. It was a chilly Chicago night, so there was no possible way Leo was warm, unless he was hot from nerves. Despite his association with Simmons, Annabelle could understand Leo's reluctance to be dragged into this situation. Perhaps the least she could do was make him feel less of a target.
With her other arm, she held out a clenching hand.
Leo cautiously took a few glances at the still watching Cons as he unzipped his jacket, and tossed it into Annabelle's motioning hand. He pressed his back firmly into his chair just to confirm to the Cons that the act was all he would be doing, sighing small as he heard some of the mechs move away.
"Thanks." Annabelle mumbled, keeping her eyes shut so she could drape the jacket over her torso and arms. She turned onto her side to wrap herself up further, but did wince a bit at the smell of the jacket.
"Shower with Axe, dude?" Annabelle muttered tiredly.
"Sorry. Meant to wash it sooner, but, yeah." Leo shrugged and angled himself to try and lay sideways in the armchair, mostly so he could have his back to the window the Cons were outside of. He swallowed as he tightly folded his arms. "…Night."
Annabelle just hummed back, taking a deep sigh as she shut her eyes. Even though she could understand at least one of the men's weariness, she had to trust that none of the Cons would risk waking her to kill either of them. As long as none of them made any attempts at her while in the car, she could be assured they were fine.
As the three finally managed to get to sleep, which did take longer for Simmons and Leo given their higher tension, there came a short blip of static. A familiar suited man came up to Annabelle's side as she slept, and looked her over with a thoughtful frown. His hand gently grazed the injection mark on her neck, and then look to the healed cut on her lip. With a short rumble, Megatron's holoform shifted around so he could sit on the floor with his back against the couch. As much as he doubted the new humans would try anything during the night, given their own worn states, Megatron couldn't help himself but feel the need to be near her. He looked over at her a few times, and frowned to himself before he adjusted the jacket more around her. If he wasn't in holoform he would have used his own jacket. Instead, he felt it best to remain with her for the night.
-X-
By the time the sun rose, the three humans had only a few hours of sleep. Annabelle remained curled in a partial ball on the couch, yet at some point in the night Simmons wanted some sort of support for his back. Therefore, the former agent had attempted to sleep upright while sitting on the arm of Leo's armchair, squeezing snug against the younger man with their heads unconsciously snoring against one another.
The three all awoke with startled shouts as the entire train car began to rock and shake side-to-side. Simmons flopped first into Leo's lap before rolling off, Leo yelping and clutching the chair arms as he rocked about, and Annabelle tumbling right off the couch.
"Wakey wakey WAKEY!" With one claw, Nitro rocked the train car a moment longer, and let it finally drop back onto the tracks. "Rise n shine, fellas, up 'n attem!" He smacked his claw hard atop the roof a few times.
"NI'!" Annabelle shouted up at the roof, on her knees and bracing her arms on the seat of the couch.
"Sorry, toots!"
"Eh," Simmons sat up from the floor, shaking his head. "Guess it's a wakeup call."
Leo groaned sore and groggily. "Never ever am I gonna complain ever again…mmm, about the RA curfews back in Uni. This sucked BALLS." He flopped his arms on the chair after a long stretch, and got up with a few twisting motions of his torso.
"Here bro, thanks again." Annabelle folded up Leo's jacket before throwing it back for him to catch. She combed out her messed up braid, and settled for putting her hair in a loose bun. "Guessing you guys slept shitty?"
"Nah nah," Simmons replied sarcastically. "Slept like a lamb in a manger, place is a nice humble abode, absolute RITZ." He grunted as he popped his back harshly. "Eyey, son, do the thing, do the thing," He allowed Leo to take his outstretched arm to yank it further until a pop was heard, and did the same to the other. "There, NOW we're talkin'."
"You know, besides the whole, being watched all night thing, was, ya know…fine." Leo ruffled his hair once he slipped his jacket back on, and was the first to head out the train car door. "Could've done with a lil more—Gahdah!" He had to fumble and catch himself on the side of train when another wad of mechanical spit landed less than a foot from him, jerking his gaze up at the leering but amused look of Starscream.
"Pleasant mornings, fleshling." Starscream chuckled, but did lean back up once satisfied with Leo's brief look of panic.
"You're disgusting." Barricade muttered from the opposite end of the train.
"Oh, then you have no reason to look." The seeker smugly rebutted back.
"Says the one who can't help but spit between various English words." The cruiser huffed with a half roll of his optics. "Their primitive language isn't THAT difficult."
"At least I don't have to bear with the lingering stink of humans in my vehicle mode. I would suspect it's incredibly difficult to remove."
"Alright, we get it, guys." Annabelle hopped out of the door next, followed by Simmons. "So what's with the wakeup call? Mmm, could've done with a couple like…I dunno, hours?"
Simmons shrugged as he did his best to adjust his coat as if to appear presentable. "Ever think it's to be a little on the edgy side, eh? Don't wanna make things easy." He huffed small at the growls thrown his way from various Cons nearby.
"I felt it best that you insects have plenty of time to consort your plans. Efficiently, would be most advised." Annabelle rose a brow as Megatron's larger form stepped up before them. "Hm, but given some recent discovery, I understand you insects run off a poor fueling source."
Annabelle bit her lip. She knew Megatron knew fully well what a 'stomach' was. Now he was definitely trying to be condescending to the two men.
"Is, that what I think-?" Leo once again was cut off as a large brown paper bag whacked into his head, sputtering as he managed to catch it before it fell.
"Hey ey, you can hand it ni—" Simmons was next to get a bag to the face to awkwardly catch.
Annabelle had to equally respond quickly to catch the bag from striking her face. Given the slight glare from Megatron, it was his own bluntness and displeasure with her decision to trust these two humans. Instead, she gave a perplexed look at the logo on the bag.
"How the hell..?"
"Easy ta get, was quick, only one open." Nitro shrugged, leaning against the corner of the platform building. "Ain't the best but it's somethin', right?"
"How did you though, like… nevermind." Annabelle stuffed her hand into the bag, pulling out the crumbled egg mcmuffin. She went ahead and sat down on the edge of the platform, swinging her legs slightly as she began to eat. Leo moved to sit with her, but was quickly stopped by a warning growl from Berserker. Once understanding why, the young man shuffled a few feet away from Annabelle.
"So," Annabelle shrugged after all of them began eating, and Cons found their own places to sit or lean against, "What, are we doing?"
She got a small glance from Simmons.
"I mean, what do we need to, like, get ready for this club?"
"A proper question." Megatron rumbled with his bulky arms folded, looking to Simmons in turn.
Simmons put a hand up between his chewing, taking his time to swallow before speaking. "Like we said, not an easy thing to get into. Cemetery has a run of most of the joint. BUT, I had some props waiting for just the occasion." He looked towards Megatron. "Which I'd love to show if I HAD them."
Annabelle sighed small in realization. "Back at your hideout?"
"Told 'em to grab everything we'd need." Simmons jabbed a thumb toward Leo, who just grumbled a retort back through a stuffed mouth.
The teen did watch as Nitro was given a look by a few other mechs, before he slowly nodded and casually slipped away. "Hate to bring it up, but don't you think we should blend in a bit more too?" She looked between the three of them. "Not the best style to just wander in with, but could be just me."
"Got it covered. Had our suits just for the occasion."
"I thought it was in case we went to the Aw—"
"Problem is getting you a proper outfit, kid." Simmons gave a small grumble at what was left in the bag, something along the lines of his indigestion, and shoved the bag to Leo. "But shouldn't be an issue. Snagging a quick dress should be nothing. Got enough to duck out with something."
Annabelle and Megatron exchanged small looks. "…Does it have to be a dress? Not, really one for them, if I'm completely honest."
"Take a note from your big fellas, kid." Simmons nodded his helm toward the Cons, who gave sneers of disgust at the mention. "If they have to blend in, so do you. Ain't easy, sure, but we all gotta get uncomfortable sometime, huh?" Grunting, the former agent shifted to stand back up. "Now if you all don't mind, I got things to plan out, things to get to, things for pick up. Hate to break up the whole lovely breakfast shindig but if we're gonna do this whole espionage mission then I need my st—"
"HEADS!" Simmons had little reaction time as the massive duffle bag and metal case slammed into his chest, knocking him right onto his previously recovered back. Annabelle and Leo flinched, but as the younger man moved to get the stuff off the cursing agent, the girl was quick to glare at the innocently standing cyclops mech.
"Ni—"
"What're we waitin' for, then?" Nitro clasped his hands together despite the glares he was given. "Let's get their lil show on the road."
-X-
I would not trust those two as much as you do.
"Like I already said," Annabelle murmured aloud to herself as she shuffled on a dress in a fitting room, "if they have info we need, we might as well get the most out of it."
I highly doubt their intentions will end there. If their mission completes itself successfully.
"I know that." Annabelle huffed as the dress was far too tight, and awkwardly tugged herself out to try another. "But like it or not we need the help. As much as you hate working with more than one human I'd rather go through with a plan that involves less time for missiles going our way. Simmons knows enough on you, and enough on me. You guys might not get along great, but more of a reason for us all to deal with it so we can help get you guys off Earth sooner and deal with each other less."
…Are you aware of his next potential plan?
Annabelle frowned, biting her lip. "What made you think there's more?"
This is a plan far too basic of a former agent, one who was keen to keep me imprisoned. Even now I would be suspicious of him not keeping secrets. From the both of us, for that matter. Surely he told you other intentions whilst we…were otherwise disconnected.
"The guy says a lot of bullshit," Annabelle paused a moment as she heard someone briefly enter the hallway of the fitting room, then leave again, "and he'll vent any idea that pops into his head. Nothing we should take too seriously."
Even if he was once an ally to the Autobots?
Annabelle could only sigh at the dripping venom in the mech's tone.
"…You are all being hunted, Megs. All of us. Simmons and Leo included. You guys were the only ones with the balls to come back near Chicago with Cemetery in full run of the place. I say these two are just working with the cards they got. If Bots won't show up, who else are they gonna side with?"
Hmm…
"...It's bullshit, I know. But we, just have to learn what else they got going…know exactly what we're dealing with."
I still do not agree with you going into such a situation. They will no doubt use you against us.
"I won't let them…"
Don't make promises you cannot guarantee, girl.
Annabelle could only bite her lip again, looking to the wall as she got back into her regular clothes and took the dress she chosen. "I won't, okay? Trust me, Megatron, I won't…Megatron? Megatron?" Annabelle huffed to herself, annoyed to have him easily drop in and speak through her mind yet leave just as quickly with no warning. What point was their bond if it was only a one-way street of mental communication?
Keeping on a pair of sunglasses, Annabelle went back out to pay for the dress and leave, even with the odd looks from the tellers at her attire. Once she left quickly, she flinched as an hand grabbed and tugged her aside. "Hey—"
"You gotta look at this. NOW. Like, right now." Leo sounded fearful, and kept hold of her as he led her around the building and to a flight of concrete steps to a harbor overlook. Simmons already stood there, looking out onto the lake. As the two joined him, they both looked to him for any sort of explanation.
"Looks like Cemetery doing some field testing." Simmons lowered his mini binoculars, frowning as the three of them looked out into the lake where a large cargo ship could be seen.
"How did they get ahold of a military freight, though?" Annabelle asked. "I mean I know they have some military standing, but that much?"
"Attinger pulled some strings on some head honchos, more like it. Getting em allll the toys they want." Unlike Leo and Annabelle, he could focus more on the distant scene with the binoculars. He frowned though as he could make out the shape of a mech stumble out of the lower deck door, on his hands and knees before the encircling Cemetery troops. "That's not good."
Annabelle blinked at the sight, able to make out the mech even without the help of Simmon's spy tool. "A Bot? In Chicago already?"
"They could've snagged him from anywhere, kid, anyplace where they got a foothold. Hm…looks like one of the racers." Simmons frowned, ignoring the subtle jumping of Leo as if it would help him see the scene better.
"What're they doing?" Annabelle asked more to herself, not expecting a definite answer. Who knew exactly what they were about to do with the Bot.
An exchange could be seen between one of the suited men standing before the clearly disabled mech. She flinched as she then saw a swarm of Transformium appear behind the Bot, but just as he turned around, all three humans flinched as the metal swarm proceeded to stab and wrap around the mech. She could almost make out the echo of its cries from such a distance, the trio only able to watch as the mech was rather violently twisted and torn open. The only part left intact was his chest, which once pried opened revealed what Annabelle recognized as a spark chamber. The metallic swarm oddly seemed to curl itself around it, allowing the spark's blue glow to remain functional. The three stood in silence, even Simmons lowered his binoculars with a firm frown as he no longer needed to see it up close. The last thing they could make out from a distance was the swirling metal swarm ducking down into the lower deck of the ship, whilst the twisted remains of the Bot were hooked up and dumped overboard.
"You, know they could do that?" Leo mumbled out.
Annabelle slowly shook her head.
"They're going through all the upgrades, eh." Simmons promptly folded and shoved away his binoculars. "Cmon, let's go. Gotta speed things along pronto."
Leo watched Simmons march back down the steps, then look to see Annabelle still staring out at the freight. "Anna."
With a small flinch, Annabelle cleared her throat to face Leo. "Sorry. Just…"
"Yeah um…cmon, we gotta go. Before the old man freaks." He turned and jogged slightly down the steps, to which after another glance back toward the ship Annabelle quickly followed suit.
"What in Pits were you taking so long for?" Waiting impatiently in the side alley, Barricade grumbled as he let the humans into his cab. "Unless you forgot we—"
"We need to get moving, now." Annabelle spoke firmly, yet there was a shake in her tone. "If we're going into the club to get that info, we need to ASAP."
"Girl, WHAT did you see? Was Cemetery in there?" The cruiser growled as he pulled them sharply onto the street to speed along, siren wailing so they could weave past the traffic. "Did you fools have her around Cemetery AGA—"
"No, they were out on a freight. On the lake." Annabelle dropped her head. "They…they killed an Autobot."
Barricade scoffed. "Hmph, so what? Less to worry about for us."
"Not until ya heard just how they did it, ah. Not a pretty one." Simmons cut the two off.
"Transformium." Annabelle explained, clasping her knees anxiously. "They used it to just…"
"Tear him apart, bro." Leo continued. "Tore him to pieces and, yanked his heart out."
There was a small pause. "Took the spark?"
"Yeah…that, must have been all they wanted out of him. Just dumped his body overboard after that." Annabelle sat up further with a shaky breath. "Cade this isn't good. This is bad. Like REALLY bad. If they're getting Transformium to do that and just take the sparks then what the hell are they doing?" She stared at the dash insistently. "Cade, they could…could do that to you guys. Easy."
"I'm aware girl, not stupid." Barricade grumbled out, but judging by the tone he was just as disturbed by the news. He sped up faster. "You, fleshings. I will suspect you have all the supplies you need for this mission?"
"Eh, could start it off with a double venti macchiato washed down with a mojito but, ah, think I can manage." Simmons shrugged.
"You are to deploy the plan immediately, then. If it's true what this Trans…ehg, Transformium possesses now, we cannot waste time on finding the tactic to destroy them before they scrap us entirely."
"But, what about Megatron?" Annabelle asked.
"Hm, pretty sure he's already got the idea on his mind. Don't you think?" Barricade reminded her, which she did drop her gaze at with a light brush to her neck glyphs.
"Still think this is a bad idea, guys, sorry but it's still nuts okay?" Leo slumped back in his seat with hands up to emphasize his stance. "No joke, this is crazy bad all around."
"That makes two of us." Barricade mumbled.
"But it's probably the best we got." Annabelle nodded back at the men.
"So you're all in, kid?" Simmons gave her an affirmative gaze. "Can't afford compromising this mission, you know. If you're in, you're in."
Annabelle sighed to herself, glancing away as she bit her lip. None pressed her for an answer. Although she did have to consider the strange pulse within her chest. One that felt of a mix of both determination and unease.
"I'll do what I have to." The teen nodded her head firmly, meeting gaze with the two men with just as firm of a look. She did swallow slightly at the ping of tension in her chest. Of course he wouldn't like this one bit, still.
What we have to.
-X-
Music bumped and boomed from the blackened building on the far end of the strip. Various guards were on either end of the block, sporting all black suits with the signs of ballistic vests underneath their attire, handguns attached to their hips, as well as long barreled, Energon taser devices. They each gave separate communications through earpieces, and took individuals who were walking past and permitted them into the club.
Far past the guarded city block the club resided on, a black suburban slowly rolled to park along the shoulder. As the occupants inside shifted, a short growl came out of the vehicle's speakers.
"Can't keep still forever back here, Berk,' sorry." Annabelle reminded the empty driver's seat. She looked to the other men as they pulled out the silver case and the bags of clothing. "This is as close as we can get. Said their scanners won't go this far out because of interference, or whatever."
"Old news, kid. Hold this." Simmons tossed her a bag as he pulled out and checked each weapon he had. "Dumbest thing we can do is go in unarmed. You two seen Men in Black? Then call these the noisy crickets of my arsenal, ah." Tucking one into his inside pocket, Simmons tossed both Leo and Annabelle another set of smaller guns. "These boys, they can be trouble. So we gotta speak some of their language. Hide 'em in the spots we agreed, nothin' below the waist or it's obvious. Guards always miss the right side pat down. Every time."
If these fleshlings put you in danger, leave immediately.
"Yeah yeah, I got it." Annabelle answered aloud to the rumbling voice in her head, which neither man with her took mind to, thinking she was just answering Simmons' comments.
To avoid angering the Con they drove in with, the three humans piled out once they had their weapons and ran over their plan on getting in. The humans stood behind the suburban so they could change clothing in the alleyway. Annabelle would have preferred changing beforehand and avoid stripping down for the two men, but she had to bear with it. No way Berserker would have been calm enough to let a human move around his cab as much as she would have to otherwise to change clothing.
Annabelle did stop once she took off her shirt first, startled slightly when Simmons rather dramatically ripped off his pants to reveal a jock strap. "What the hell is that?" she asked rather dejectedly.
"What? I wear them off and on. Baseball tradition thing, look it up." The former agent didn't bother to see Leo mouthing the words 'not again' while shaking his head.
Annabelle rolled her eyes slightly, and with a rather embarrassed sigh turned her back to the two men so she could remove her boots and pants last. Although she would hope it was out of his own poor compulsion, she already felt the awkward stare of Leo on her. Her chest almost rattled on its own from the surge of agitation Megatron felt in turn. It did calm though once she overheard Simmons shove Leo lightly and muttered something along the lines of watch where his eyes were roaming.
Once shimmying herself into her dress, she huffed before sliding on the shortened heels. "Guys owe me big for this. Hating the dress thing already here. Totally ideal for making an easy escape, for sure." She pulled out a thin shawl to wrap around her neck, an effort to cover up the glyphs that could be seen along her exposed skin. The last thing she did was put on a tinted pair of women's sunglasses, in hopes it would all be enough to disguise her appearance.
"If everything goes right, we might just walk right back out. But if there isn't, no one's gonna complain with you running barefoot."
"God, that's gonna suck." Annabelle mumbled. She did raise a brow at seeing Simmons and Leo in their new suited attire. "Okay, actually a little impressed on the cleaning up, guys."
"Alright we all know the plan, we all got sharp minds, empty bladders? We got a small time gap to get in so," Simmons bent down to pull out a zapping taser baton. "Let's get the show on the road."
"Whoa whoa whoa, bro." Leo put his hands up. "How bad are you thinkin' this is gonna go? We already have guns bro, like we need that?"
"In case we gotta deal some mini Transformium, that's why. Might not kill 'em, but can do enough of a short circuit to stun them if we gotta." Simmons did think on the matter, and turned the taser's safety on as he stuffed it in his coat. "They might go for you first though, kid. So stay close if things get ugly." Annabelle just gave him an affirmative nod, and he put on his own dark sunglasses. "Right, let's go talk business."
The three humans took on confident strides as they exited the alley around the disguised Con, Annabelle patting the suburban once as confirmation before he pulled sharply away. After a small snapping of fingers from Simmons ahead of them, Leo and Annabelle exchanged glances before Leo offered an arm for her to hold onto. She hesitated slightly though as she mentally had to hush the disgusted growl in her head. The three kept up their confident strides as they walked past the corner the guards were stationed, only giving them passing glances. Once they reached the entrance, Simmons had the arm-locked Annabelle and Leo remain behind him.
"Gentlemen." Simmons nodded curtly. "Seems like we have an appointment with Mr. Jacobson today."
"He's not available today, sir." One of the guards spoke gruffly. "You must be mistaken."
"Look, eh, I hate to be a bearer of bad news here but, last I checked you fellas have been low on business. Jacobson is a good friend of mine, and he's been wanting to meet some of my associates. International business." Simmons gestured to the younger two, to which Leo nodded and spoke in a string of Spanish at the former agent. "Yeah yeah I'm handling it, we're good, ah? Now fellas are we really gonna start some lost in translation fighting over appointment times, or what? Take us no time at all."
The other guard looked over the three, and more so upon Annabelle. "This true, ma'am?"
"Ah she's not a big talker much. No hablo English, if you catch my drift. Kinda easier to speak through her friend here." Simmons attempted to turn the questions on Leo. Yet the guard's suspicious gaze didn't leave the straight face of Annabelle.
She did her best to remain cool and confident, and pretend she didn't know what he was saying. She did shiver as she felt an oddly familiar hold clench at her chest, to which she squeezed Leo's arm more so.
"Podría pedirle a este tonto que por favor se haga a un lado?" She curtly looked between Leo and Simmons, who looked briefly astounded by her words.
Leo played along, and spoke another string of Spanish more insistently as he squeezed her arm back in his own nerves.
"Just show us some identification, please?" One guard finally relented, honestly not in the mood for such foreign language issues and just wanted to get these people to move along. Simmons gladly handed them the false IDs and passports. The guard frowned deeper as he looked them over, before giving them back. "Arms up, pat down is required of all guests."
The trio parted to allow a quick pat for each of them, even when Annabelle couldn't help but cringe at the touch as if they would find something on them. Thankfully they didn't, failing to check their right side as Simmons predicted. Taking Leo's arm right afterwards, the three made their way into the dim lit club.
Upon entering, the three were on a balcony level, able to look down to the upbeat club down below. The sharp darkness lit only by a mixture of neon blues and purples outlining the entirety of the club. Skinny, staggered parallel neon lights hung from the ceiling by thin wires to add further illumination to the dance floor below. The music was rather loud, but enough that with the three close could hear each other without having to shout.
"Alright bro, we're in then." Leo nodded. "So where's your guy?"
"Guy has to play it low, so he won't like to be found. We gotta split up for a bit, scan the place." Simmons looked between the two as they gave him incredulous looks. "Hey, never said it'd be a smooth mission here."
Annabelle looked over the mostly packed club down below, and glancing to the people pushing past them with drinks. With a small glance to them, she took each man by an arm to duck them into the corner. "Then if we're splitting up, then we need these." Undoing a cloth she had stuffed in her bra, given she had no pockets, she pulls out three small devices. Much like the devices Megatron had her use in the Africa outpost raid, Annabelle put one in each of their palms once opening them herself.
Leo winced as the tiny devices sprang their needle-like legs. "Whoa whoa what are these?"
"Megatron insisted we use them if we had to split up in here. They'll keep us all updated both inside and out."
"What, like they need this to do that?" Simmons blinked as the devices ran up each of their arms, failing to grab it before the two men flinched at the items stabbing themselves in place behind their ears.
"Sorry. It'll stop stinging in a bit." Annabelle glanced around slightly nervous. "So how are we doing this?"
"How can we even tell them apart in here, bro?" Leo asked in turn. "Not like they're walkin' around here with nametags or some shit. Could run right into them and not even know it."
"Called not drawin' attention, ey?" Simmons frowned, adjusting his suit by merely re-clipping his tie. He tapped Leo in the chest. "You, stay with her. I'll look for him. Missy, you scope it out for your big fellas. See if you can hear in on anything about the plans they got goin' with the spark-snatching we saw. We'll meet back here in 10. Or sooner, who knows, guy might make it easier and show up sooner, for all we know. Guy ain't totally unpredictable."
"Still not up to being separated in here." Annabelle remarked. "Cuz I'm getting really tired of places we go into getting blown up somehow."
"Then let's do everything NOT to do that." Simmons curtly nodded. "Remember kiddos, everything casual, stick to the plan, and watch anything mechanical. Whole place could be crawlin' with Transformium."
The three all exchanged looks, before awkwardly parting. Leo took hold of her arm with a small nervous swallow, which was quickly followed by a near crushing hold from Annabelle's own hand on his wrist.
"Sorry, sorry, I'll lighten up..!" Leo cringed uncomfortably.
"It's not me." Annabelle muttered between gritted teeth. Megatron didn't have to keep reminding her of his hatred for the situation. Yet with the thought in mind, her hand relaxed somewhat.
The two drifted over to a bar area, each taking a prepared cocktail to sip on. Leo awkwardly bobbed his head to the beat of one of the techno songs playing, whilst Annabelle looked around at people passing by. Who knew if any of them would recognize her and capture them outright? Simmons had practically disappeared from view amongst the crowd.
"You at least know what the guy looks like?" Annabelle asked as she took a sip.
"Honestly?" Leo glanced at her. "No."
"Oh great." Annabelle sighed. "So what do we do, walk up to the most suspicious one in the bunch?"
"Really dunno, bro." Leo shook his head as he looked around himself. As his eyes wandered mostly on the women in the club, he ended up drifting his gaze back toward Annabelle. He did frown though as he saw the few scars from her most recent gunshot wound. Taking the smart move, he chose not to ask.
"So uh…how's it looking out there for you guys?" Annabelle spoke against her glass, brushing at the device behind her ear. She waved off Leo when he looked at her as if she was asking him at first, but watched him flinch with surprise as he was also able to hear the conversation thanks to their shared devices.
A perimeter has been formed and monitored closely. We shall see anyone who goes in or out of the area that may be of worthy suspicion.
"Anyway you guys can get closer if things go south?"
Pulse is working out the jammers as we speak. Geh, if these insects hadn't gathered enough of our technology already for their security, it would be faster.
"Sorry, I guess?" Annabelle mumbled, if only to talk out of her nerves.
Girl…as much as I detest to take such a maggot's advice, take his. You must keep your head in this place. Follow your instincts.
"Yes, because that's really reassuring." She gave a slight apologetic shrug to Leo at the half pout he gave at the 'maggot' comment.
Oh, and boy? Megatron's voice growled lowly as the younger man shuttered. Do mind your manners, won't you?
"Oh uh, for sure, for sure. You got it." Leo spoke straight ahead, blinking at the weird looks he got from people in response. If just to quell his nervousness at the mech's warning, he managed to gulp down the entire glass he had, cringing at the burn afterwards.
Annabelle let her gaze wander, taking Simmons' advice and being weary of anything mechanical or technology based. She could only toss looks at Leo for not at least knowing what their guy looked like to properly approach him, leaving them basically sitting ducks.
"So," Annabelle cleared her throat, at least wanting to talk of something else to calm some of her nerves, "You and Simmons. How'd, that go down?"
"Through a friend. Kinda, long story, ya know? But, I dunno, guy started cramming up my site way back when so…kinda turned into work with the devil ya know, ya know?" Leo gulped some of his drink, just as prone with his nerves. "Your uh, big buddy's sorta on the fritz with me too, I think."
The girl rose a brow in his direction. "That why he sent some death glares your way last night?"
"I mean I wasn't the guy he was after but uh, was the friend of the friend that he wanted so…yeah, doesn't like me. I dunno how you don't, ya know, get freaked by him once in awhile. His resting face is a fuckin' nightmare already, bro."
"Hm, I dunno. Guess it's the devil you know." Annabelle murmured back, which Leo did huff at.
Kiddos, I got em. He's heading your way. Tall, blondie, got two bogies leaving him.
Leo winced, but pressed a finger to the ear device. "I don't think you get what bogie means yet, bro. Just, don't use that anymore, okay? Which way?"
"Right there." Annabelle nodded her head, and both watched as a suited man walked casually through a few groups of people. The two exchanged side-glances as the man made his way over to a corner table to sit and order a drink. "Simmons, want us to wait for you?"
Nah nah, I'm makin' my way over. Pin 'em down before he catches on.
"Whoa, what do you mean pi—"
"We go talk to him, get him interested, ya know?" Leo lightly elbowed her. "Work it over, get him into a lil niceness with some pretty betties…ya know?" He swallowed at the half frown he got. "Don't tell 'em I said that."
"He already knows." Annabelle sighed anyway, but did walk with him to approach Jacobson's table. She paused when Leo helped himself to sit in one of the spare seats.
"Heyhey, how goes it, bro? Been meaning to sit and talk for a bit." Leo adjusted his tie slightly, however crudely folded it was. "Jacobson, right? Bro, it's an honor to meet you." He held out a hand to shake, but was silently refused.
"Do I know you?" Jacobson rose a brow, unamused.
"A friend of yours told us about you. Said," Annabelle spoke as she slowly sat down, "said you could help us."
"Not many ask for me. Hm, only appropriate we keep things to ourselves." The man coolly replied as he traced the rim of his glass.
"Robowarrior." She replied, hearing the small groan from Leo.
Jacobson scoffed. "Of course he would. The second I'm of use, isn't it?" He only took a glance at them, but seemed more interested in his drink. "So who are you, exactly? If Seymour was so keen to introduce you."
"It's about the," Leo leaned in with a poor bit of whispering, "the stuff going on in Cemetery."
"Transformium." Annabelle finished. She pursed her lips at the glare Jacobson gave.
"It isn't something you can just go yacking about." The man leered slightly, taking a sip of his drink. "Especially not to some punk kids."
"Hey bro I'll let you know I am a fully grown ad—"
"We need your help on how to stop it, that's what we're here for. Simmons told us you can tell us what we need. So what can we do to, I dunno…convince you?" Annabelle pressed.
"Maybe you can tell me just how you two snuck in here, and just who you think you are to talk to me like this." Jacobson challenged right back. He did pause when Annabelle tugged back her shawl to show the tattoo-like glyphs in her skin. He slowly put his drink down. "Hutchins. Hm, got a lot around here who'd love to get ahold of you."
"Old news." Annabelle covered them back up.
"Dunno if you're smart or stupid..." Jacobson did give a half smile. "But, since it's a nice surprise, I'll do you one better. If you really are her, I'll tell you." He stuffed a hand into his inner suit pocket, and put down a vial of Energon. "Keep some around, just in case. Protocol bullshit. But, last they checked you got an immunity to Energon. Won't leave a burn or nothing on you. Wanna see that for myself."
Annabelle looked at the vial, then shrugged as she took it and was about to put it on the back of her hand.
"Drink it." Jacobson made both of them pause, and he only nodded back.
"Eyey, not jumpin the gun like that, huh." Simmons was quick to arrive and sit down, much to the disgruntled sigh of Jacobson. "Kid don't do it. Can prove it just as fine touching it." His gaze never left Jacobson's.
"Least I know we aren't bluffing." Jacobson huffed at Simmons. "Thought you liked a bit of stakes, Seymour? So if it's true she's got a few quirks, I wanna know how far Megatron wants to go to cover her ass. See if he's really worth the trouble helping offworld."
Leo flinched as Annabelle's hand clenched his under the table.
Annabelle looked at the vial still in her hand, and sighed. Megatron wasn't answering, nor giving any real sign to warn her. Or perhaps he was just as uncertain to how her body would handle ingesting such a substance. It couldn't harm her externally, but there was no guarantee how far her immunity went. It was a dangerous move, but perhaps it was one she was willing to take.
"You're saying if I can drink this, that'll be proof enough for you?" Annabelle asked with a squeeze to the vial.
"Plenty proof enough." Jacobson smiled coolly.
"Kid I swear to God and my mama's grave you better not—"
"Dude!" Leo recoiled slightly as Annabelle popped open the vial and knocked it back.
Annabelle scrunched her eyes shut, visibly cringing at the burn and taste of the Energon. She dropped her head to the point her forehead almost touched the table. With how intense the sensation was she couldn't tell if was actually causing harm or not. All she could do was try and breathe through it, squeezing tight to Leo's hand before she found the strength to swallow.
You stupid girl.
Annabelle opened her eyes and faced the men again, looking between them with watery eyes and a heavy cough. Leo hesitated before he gave a rough few pats to her back as if that would help her.
"You, you good?" Leo asked, looking both fearful yet concerned.
"Y-y-yeah…yeah, just…God, that was nasty…uhg." Annabelle put a hand to her mouth as she felt slightly nauseous, but other than that felt no real sense of it hurting her otherwise. With such a toxic substance, it should have killed her by now.
"Heh, how'd that taste, kid? Just curious." Jacobson smugly asked.
"Like a…like a gross mix of, metal cleaner and…grape?" She coughed again, but straightened herself once the nausea passed. "Okay. Now talk…Please?"
"You got what you asked out of it. Proof enough of her shoe-in with the Cons, right?" Simmons got over his own shock to keep up the cool attitude. "Now unless you want us all spilling about your two-facin' business, let's talk goods. Once you help us get these fellas busted, and Cons off planet, can keep everything to ourselves. Never see us again. How's that sound?"
Jacobson gulped back the rest of his drink, but looked to Annabelle in particular.
"They won't say a word either." Annabelle nodded, as if reading into the man's thoughts. "As long as what you give us is helpful to them. They'll only have a problem if it's shit."
The man looked past them as if to scope anyone nearby, and huffed as he waved over for another drink.
-X-
"My liege," Air-Warrior came over comm from his perch nearest to the club perimeter. "Security is increasing. Permission to clear the quandaries?"
"Negative. The girl and her, ehg, associates are still inside." Megatron growled from his own position at a tower further out. "From the sounds of things, she is requiring the information needed."
"Yet there is no telling how long it may take, master, before they have too many to go against with such feeble firepower." The blue seeker added.
"We will strike only when necessary." Starscream hissed over the shared comm frequency. "Albeit there are no unplanned distractions."
"Hmph, that would be stating the obvious, seeker." Megatron rumbled in warning. "We stick to the plan. Once the information is gathered, we engaged only when required."
Another voice jumped into their frequency. "As much as I hate to ruin such plans, my lord," Barricade sneered with a sense of disgust. "We have company heading our way."
"Cemetery Wind?" Megatron growled in question.
"That would be the predictable choice. But, no."
Megatron straightened up and looked to the now visible pings on his radar, and if he could his optics would have widened more so once he saw just who it was. Blast it all, they were going to ruin everything. A dangerous growl escaped him, and his claws bunched into a tight fist as his cannon charged up.
-X-
"An energy source?" Simmons nodded to himself. "Would make sense, of course. I mean why wouldn't they? Gotta keep things runnin' on their own turf somehow."
"It's still in the works, but until then the majority of Transformium is unstable. Once this source is completed then they got full working control. Can create a whole army of piloted drones if they want." Jacobson elaborated further. "Least that's what Kandler's been wanting."
"Dude, that's bad, bro. Like, a few's crazy but a whole army? That's nuts." Leo shook his head, and Annabelle seemed to be having a slight headache. He didn't ask though seeing as it might have been her still recovering from the Energon.
"Where's it at?" Simmons asked. He didn't like the hesitant frown the man had between a drink.
"You just wanna know what they're doing. Can't say where it's being built."
"You're kidding bro. Cmon, you gotta tell us." Leo demanded, already sick of getting a run around. "What's the point tellin' us what they're makin' if you can't say where it's at?"
Jacobson only bit his lip.
"You don't know where it is, do you?" Annabelle finally entered the conversation.
"They're keeping it to themselves. In case THIS sort of thing happens among operatives." The man gestured between the four of them. "All I can tell you is they run on a pre-alpha energy source. Until it's finished the Transformium can be unstable under certain conditions. Sometimes overcharging them might work, if you can shock 'em for long enough. Hell, bet even freezing them up could do the trick. Just like on the Cons and Bots." Jacobson stood up as he looked to the growing crowd behind them. "Now you gotta go. Now. Fluke enough you three got in, but they're gonna catch on." He pointed a finger to Simmons. "You owe me big, Seymour. A Pinot 85 when this blows over."
Annabelle compulsively looked behind her as Simmons rolled his eyes with a pass off on the offer, not sure why but she felt a growing sense of dread. Her gaze drifted to the various speakers around the club, and to a flat screen above the bar. She could have sworn she saw a small flicker of particles trail out of the television cord.
Jacobson looked to her anyway. "Best you watch your back too, kid. Unless you—"
He choked as something sharp struck his neck. The other three quickly looked to the stream of blood run down from his neck, and another silver shot strike his head to make him fumble limply back into his chair.
"Get down!" Simmons ducked down as Leo and Annabelle hit the floor right after another series of shots few past them. They ran in a low crouch as the crowd began to scream and scatter as various equipment and tech began to morph and change. Annabelle looked back to see the monitor morph into its particle form to swirl and chase after them.
"Simmons!" Annabelle screamed, struggling as she tried to pull out her hidden gun but not with the greatest speed.
The former agent whipped out his stun baton to swing towards the approaching swarm of metal, in which the electricity did seem to deter the Transformium long enough to give them more time to get distance. Leo grasped Annabelle's arm to keep her close, seeing as her heels were slowing her down.
"Do NOT let them escape!" A guard somewhere below the balcony called out, yelling further orders over his earpiece as people scrambled and screamed as Transformium filled the room.
The trio ducked under separate tables as various particle clouds shot and zoomed around them. It gave Annabelle and Leo time to pull out their guns. "Where's your big fellas, kid, ah?" Simmons yelled across to them, taser baton up in defense when some Transformium came too close. "Thought that's what," he ducked slightly as more bullets went past, "the damn earpieces were for!" He slapped two fingers to his earpiece in emphasis, as if to call the Cons somehow. "Ey ey, could use the help here!"
"I dunno where they are!" Annabelle shouted back, gun up in an attempt to shoot, but could never get a good shot to fire. "They should be around-GAH-by now!" She panted slightly in her own building panic. Why weren't the Cons coming to give them cover? Megatron told her himself he would be there to back her up if things went wrong. Something was wrong outside, that was the only explanation.
She screamed once as a few tables were flung their way by one such metal swarm, ducking to cover her head. She yelped as Leo instinctively grabbed her around the waist to pull her away and avoid a chair landing too close to them. They were pinned down at this point, and from the looks of it the entrance was now blocked off not just by the flooding of people, but also of the armed guards. Annabelle looked over hearing gunshots to see Simmons pathetically try to shoot some Transformium swarms, but as suspected did nothing.
"We can't stay here, Simmons!" She called out. "We gotta move!"
"Yeah no shit!" Leo called back, even though she was right next to him. He fired once with a yelp at the recoil. "But where?"
"There's gotta be a back exit or something!" Annabelle flinched and fired her gun when a particle swarm got too close for her liking, and like the younger man, was taken aback by the recoil of the rather small gun.
"We aren't going anywhere with all this shit!" Leo whipped his gaze toward Simmons as he darted his own gaze about for any opening.
Annabelle fired again, but only succeeded in hitting some glass pieces near a bar. "Simmons! Is there another way out or not?"
"Course there is, kid!" the agent barked across the way. "Downstairs, if it ain't already blocked off! But we leave now we got a load of metal splinters up the ass!"
The teen looked about, flinching here and there as more metallic swarms flew about them. It was hard enough to see in the dim lit club, but more so now that sections of neon lighting were being blown out by the Transformium swarms. What did catch her eye was the red canister a few yards from them behind the opposing bar.
"Fire extinguisher!" Annabelle spoke up, whipping her gaze on the two men. "Might be cold enough to slow them down!"
Simmons and Leo followed her gaze, and exchanged short looks and groans.
"Ah for fu—YOU, cover her got it? I'll draw 'em off a bit!" Simmons barked out the order, but didn't sound too confident in the idea, but as of now his taser weapon was their best defense against the Transformium. "On three, got it?"
Leo grasped at Annabelle's arm in his nerves, not ready in the slightest but would be willing to take the chance to get them out of here. Annabelle just tightened the grip on her gun, staring straight ahead at the fire extinguisher. Although she did kick off her heels with a bite of her lip.
"…THREE!" Simmons bolted out first with a rather manic swinging of his stun weapon, and ran the long way along the balcony to draw attention of the Transformium swarms and a few guards down below.
Leo and Annabelle ran at practically the same moment, hoofing it over various obstacles of fallen chairs, overturned tables, and broken objects. Annabelle tried not to think about any sharp items or glass that she could be running across, determined to get toward the extinguisher. As the two heard gunfire trailing their present running path, Leo began to fire a few stray shots to somehow deter them, although he was a pretty poor shot.
She and Leo went into a stumble and roll across the floor though when the floor beneath them shook violently, the two coming to a stop with a few groans. They looked up with shock as one Transformium swarm was not so fooled by Simmons' distraction, flying up from below the balcony floor to hover before them in almost an angered flurry. Annabelle yelped and held a hand to her forehead, tensing up as her neck glyphs pulsed sharply. She compulsively shuffled backwards until her back was against a flipped table, her free hand holding up her gun with a trembling grasp. Annabelle fired at the swarm, but the bullets easily went through the swirling metal mass. Her vision blurred as her headache increased, the teen trying to fight against it and focus. She had to gain some sort of control again, despite the Allspark's apparent unease at the swarm.
The Transformium shot away when a spray of white foam clouded around it, the swarm slicing and cutting into furniture in its recoiling response. Annabelle whipped her head up to see Leo had made it to the fire extinguisher, panting with wide eyes as he stopped spraying in almost his own surprise at seeing it work.
"Cmon, we gotta bail, bro!" Leo blinked at Annabelle, his tone urgent despite his want to somehow be brave in their situation. He jumped and sprayed more foam when the metal swarm started to come at them again, giving Annabelle time to get to her feet and get behind him. Taking hold of his arm this time, the two resumed their run along the balcony level with the angry metal swarm right behind them.
"Simmons!" Annabelle screamed across the way, spotting the agent on the far end of the roundabout balcony despite the flickering lights.
"BUSY!" He shot right back, ducking and swinging his stun rod as Transformium made an attempt to surround him. A few guards already seizing on the floor after Simmons dealt with them in turn. "Got company! On your—your two!"
Annabelle turned to see while Leo had his back to hers to ward off their own swarm. Sure enough, a few guards rushed the stairs in their direction, guns up. Bringing up her own handgun, she kicked a table beside her towards them to act as a temporary distraction, and fired at them first. She hit one in the shoulder, surprised to see the shot was strong enough to send him tumbling back down the stairs. Missing another guard, though, Annabelle cried out when a projectile struck her leg. The action buckled her, but upon quick realization, she saw it was only a rubber round. She had to smirk at that. They were still stupid enough to try and get her with only non-lethals?
"Uh, not to freak us out more here bro but uh, BUT I think we're—ANNA!" Leo was taken aback when Annabelle suddenly bolted from him, and if it weren't for the Transformium he was still struggling to hold off he would have stopped her.
Annabelle ducked a few shots from the guard, and tackled into him by the waist. The two yelped and grunted on their way down the stairs, rolling to a stop with a few groans at the bottom. She barely dodged a boot from the guard as he was first on his feet, but even on the ground her previous training kicked in. Spotting the subtle limp, Annabelle kicked the guard in his injured shin, buckling him just long enough for her to use his neck as leverage to pull up and draw him into her striking knee. The most she got in return for it was a hard backhand, stumbling her back into a room column.
"Anna!" Leo called down the stairs, blasting the Transformium with more foam as he looked away. Once he did though, he blinked with a rather scared gaze seeing he had run the extinguisher empty, staring with fearful eyes as the Transformium blistered with its own realization. "Oh mierda."
The young man could only shriek as the metal swarm swatted him aside, flinging him off the balcony. The only thing that saved him from a rather dangerous fall were the skinny lighting fixtures, bear-hugging them with another cry as he swung precariously. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Annabelle continue her face-off with the guard, and the metal swarm descend the stairs after her. "Look out!"
Annabelle gripped at the arm of the guard's hand as he held her in a choking grasp, the teen able to spot the approaching Transformium behind him. Gasping past her choked position, she lunged her hand for the metal rod at the man's belt, ripping it loose to strike upside his head. Kicking him back she found the switch on the rod, and as the Transformium attempted to go around the guard to get to her, she zapped the guard for a long duration, which in turn hit part of the Transformium swarm. The man collapsed and the metal flurry retreated as it appeared to short-circuit, slamming back and forth between nearby columns and walls. Backing away with the stun rod still zapping, Annabelle looked up to see Leo's position on the lighting above.
"I'm cool, bro, I'm cool!" Leo tried to wave a hand dismissively at her, but was quick to resume his tight grip as he swayed. "Think I'll just, ya know, hang out here a second..!"
"Where's Simmons?" Annabelle called up. She was answered when a body tumbled down the opposite flight of stairs, groaning sorely on the bottom step. Rushing over, Annabelle swung her stun rod to keep the approaching Transformium at bay while she helped get Simmons to his feet and move them back to the center of the room. Although dazed and sore, Simmons did manage to keep hold of his smaller stun rod with a few zaps, the two of them keeping each other up as the Transformium began to circle them. "Now what do we do?"
"Thought you'd got a plan, seeing you got yourself handled." Simmons spat with a bitter sarcasm. "What's it look like? We're surrounded, pinned like the poor bastards of Normandy. D-Day on our hands here. Lonely men, uh, and woman, betrayed by the country they loved…"
A crashing behind them cut the former agent's growing monologue, the two jumping away as sharp zaps of electricity sparked and arched up into the whirling Transformium. The result was the metal swarm giving an almost pained metallic shriek and lurch away from them and up into the ceiling. The two blinked as a coughing Leo clumsily got to his feet, blackened marks seen on his face and parts of his hair smoking.
"Said I'd just hang for a second..." Leo mumbled, before mouthing a pained 'owwah' as he held his injured arm.
The trio whipped their gazes toward the front half of the room as more guards rushed in, guns up and shouting orders for them to drop weapons and get on the ground. Annabelle instead watched the Transformium swarm lurch back down towards the ground, forcing both parties to back up as it stuck the ground in a flurry of metal particles. What then caught her attention was how parts of the swarm broke away to fly towards a section of wall nearby the DJ stand. The wall soon gave way under the slamming of the metal swarm, revealing a hidden slide door.
"There's our exit, kiddos!" Simmons followed Annabelle's gaze. Throwing his own stun rod for Leo to catch, the former agent pulled out a larger handgun from his inside suit pocket to fire at the guards. "Let's bail! Now now!"
Annabelle led the way with her stun rod swinging at any of the Transformium that may attack them, Simmons up next to give them cover from the guards, and Leo to hold up the rear with the other stun rod. The doorway led them into a long dark hallway, only lit along the floor by thin, blue lights. They could hear the Transformium swarm zooming above them, illuminated by both the thin hallway floor lights as well as the arching electricity from their stun batons. Annabelle yelped as some metal particles sliced at her arms when she swung her rod at them, and Simmons shooting blindly up at the ceiling to try to distract the swarm from attacking her.
"They're on our asses, guys, like hot on our asses!" Leo shouted from the rear.
"Like that's a shocker, kid?" Simmons retorted back, firing a few more times after Annabelle yelped at another slice to her shoulder. "Yo sweetheart, we can't keep this up forever! Where's the end?"
Annabelle panted as she ran, feeling the warm stickiness of the blood around her shoulders and arms. "There has to be an end! Why else—would it go here?" The three shouted or yelped as gunshots were heard down behind them. The guards were closing in, and sounded like they decided on lethal rounds this time.
The trio stumbled once again when they accidentally ran into a heavily plated door, which they were able to see hints of daylight peeking from the bottom of said door. Annabelle banged and kicked at the door, while Leo attempted to ram his shoulder into it, but quickly stopped as it only succeeded in him further injuring his arm. Simmons boldly fired down the hallway as they could hear guards approaching, and the Transformium flying above them in a building, angry swarm.
"Kid, about time you worked that alien magic here!" Simmons called over his shoulder in Annabelle's direction.
Annabelle whipped her gaze back on him. "Are you crazy? How?"
"You gotta know something kid, stir up some Decepticon voodoo, sing a chant, something! Get that door down!"
"I don't know anything like that, you ass!" She tried to kick at the door again with panicked pants, Leo looking to her with a fearful gaze. "It does its own shit, I can't do anything with it!"
"They're coming, bro, they're coming!" Leo pointed down the hall, even though they all could clearly see the waving flashlights of the guards running at them.
"Do SOMETHING, kid!" Simmons shouted again.
Annabelle shook in both her fear and anger, having no clue how to use the Allspark's power to get the door open, much less do anything of its power on her own volition. Megatron was nowhere to help them out, much less contacting her through her head now in their dangerous situation. She put her forehead to the metal with eyes tightly shut, fist slamming against the door in her frustration and fear. She tried to think of something, think of what she felt before the Allspark used its power through her before, anything to channel something out. Or perhaps…
Her gaze shot up at the buzzing of the Transformium
"Anna!" Leo gripped at her arm to try and pull her attention away, but she only shoved him away and gripped her taser baton in both hands.
"Kid!" Simmons called in warning, having to reload his gun with the last clip he had. "Weapons down!" Multiple guards shouted their way as they blocked the hallway, boxing the trio in with the Transformium arching itself over the three escapees, as if ready to strike. Simmons had halted his own gunfire once seeing just how many guns were on them. "Down on the ground NOW! We WILL shoot!"
"Anna!" Leo shouted louder at her, but the girl seemed to be tense in her concentration.
"Down or we shoot!" One guard shouted as they all took aim.
Annabelle trembled this time, with Leo noticing her glyphs glowing steadily brighter.
Focus, she thought, focus. Her grip tightened around the baton in both hands, trying to think of how to draw anything out. Begging the Allspark to help.
Leo stepped back as her baton began to glow completely, strange blue lights emitting from Annabelle's hands to wrap around the zapping baton.
Annabelle tightened the grip on her stun rod, and the electricity seemed to arch more sharply. With one quick movement, the teen pivoted around to shove both men behind her, and with a shout stabbed the zapping end of the rod into the floor. A large amount of electricity blasted forth from the rod from deep within her body, the force sending a shockwave of electricity down the hall, illuminating the entire hallway for a brief moment as it struck both the row of guards and the Transformium swarm above them. The men dropped in a seizure of zaps, and the metal particles convulsed and contorted wildly in the air, forcing the trio to couch low to avoid it.
Annabelle gasped heavily as the energy dispersed fully from the baton, seeming to knock the wind out of her a she released her grip. Leo held her shoulders to keep her steady, while the three flinched and ducked their heads multiple times to avoid a few uncontrolled swipes of the spastic whirling of the Transformium. She braced herself as the swarm briefly disappeared down the hall, only to charge straight at them. "MOVE!"
"SHIT!" Simmons and Leo both shouted in response, and the trio each lunged toward either side of the hall as the Transformium slammed full force into the metal door, desperate to get out in its fit of malfunctioning. In its shredding and slamming, the swarm finally busted the door open and manically collide and crash between both the street and nearby buildings as it escaped, pieces of itself shorting out and falling dead to the ground.
The trio ran out themselves, staying close as people ran around them in screams of pandemonium and panic. They spotted guards calling out orders and running the opposite way of the escaping crowds, signs of a battle apparent given the smoking buildings and torn-up asphalt. In the distance they could hear the familiar sounds of clashing metal and blaster fire.
"Where's the ride, bro, where are they?" Leo demanded in panic, looking to the equally demanding yet worn Annabelle.
Simmons attempted to press at the alien earpiece he still had in, in hopes it would contact one of the Cons. "Ey ey, if one of you rusted gun-totin' bastards hear me, we're out! Get us outta dodge here, capeesh?"
The trio had to duck away though as a few cars were flung their direction, causing them and others fleeing to the sidewalks to keep from getting hit. The group watched as soon after, a yellow mech was flung and tumbled down the street, only uttering pained beeps once he came to a stop.
"Ohhhhhhhhhh, way not good, bro." Leo muttered with a knowing look at Simmons, in which both looked as Dreadbot was quick to sprint in and punch the yellow Bot just as he got to his feet, knocking him down once again.
Police sirens caught their attention over the carnage unfolding, and the three moved back as Barricade pulled quickly to a stop to let them in.
"What the hell's goin—"
"Shut it, boy, we're leaving now!" Barricade cut Leo off once the three cramped into his backseat, waiting as Starscream flew dangerously low to the ground past them to slam into jumping green Bot. He peeled out his tires as he sped them down the street, siren blaring to try and clear a path through the fleeing crowds and dodge any blocking debris.
Annabelle looked out the back window with the two men, watching the various mech-on-mech battles unfold further down the street. From the looks of things they had been fighting for some time, which would explain why none were answering them earlier. Although it did surprise the girl that it was enough for Megatron to almost completely disregard her and the two men while they were in danger. The girl had never felt this level of anger from the tyrant before. She and Simmons shared a look, Simmons more resigned in his gaze while Annabelle seemed to hold back an aggravated response.
They returned to looking through the back window as they sped off, Simmons frowning as the Con and Bot action continue, although some Cons did abandon their duels to retreat along with Barricade and his occupants. It only left the three to catch sight of the two largest mechs' battle, of Megatron angrily facing off and striking aside the all too familiar blue-and-red Bot.
"So," Annabelle's tone sounded more tired and doubtful as she felt the rage in her bond, spotting Megatron sharply kick the Bot back, "about your other plan?"
"Might…hold off on that. Yeah." Simmons nodded, while Leo just gave him a short stare of knowing. Perhaps their next plan could wait longer. If it could ever be brought up now. "Got what we need anyway, ah." The agent uncurled his fist, and the trio stared down at the smoldering shard of Transformium, watching its light slowly die out as they drove onward.