Chapter 26

I just want to thank everyone for their support and the fabulous reviews. I could not have done this without you.

I do not own Transformers.

Optimus knew Gabby was ok, but his rage started to make his processors and circuits go wild. He knew Starscream was crazy, but he never thought he would take it that far. Those looks he had been giving Gabby confirmed Optimus's suspicions.

As Gabby was getting tortured, Optimus had been able to loosen the chains, and it hurt like hell as the electricity jolted his form. He was risking shorting himself out, but it was a risk he was willing to take. He had thought of a plan to snap these chains, and it was to transform to bipedal mode, but with his hands tied he didn't know if he could pull it off, because of the drones that were surrounding him.

Optimus had sent his signals to the other Autobots to be ready.

It was time.

Starscream walked out of the room that Gabby was in, and smiled to Optimus in his holoform.

"I think I convinced her, Prime, don't you?"

"You are scum," Optimus said angrily.

"She will know who had the real power here," he said smiling.

Galloway suddenly spoke up, "I don't understand why you are prolonging this. Just kill them and get it over with!"

Starscream grabbed Galloway by his shirt, and shook him. "Didn't I make it clear to you human who is in charge here?"

Galloway whined. How pathetic, Optimus thought.

"But-but she just said that to get you off of her. Why don't you just get it from him?" Galloway said to Starscream in a cry.

"Optimus needs to live to see what I will do to her," Starscream said. "I will make the decisions here! Got it?"

Starscream threw Galloway to the ground, and melded back into his bipedal form. He then transformed.

He turned to Optimus and said, "I know you have been sending signals Prime. DriveWave and I will take care of that."

Starscream then turned to the big door that had been closed on the far end of the Hangar. "I want to show you something, Prime."

Starscream opened the door, and Optimus spotted a whole room full of military vehicles, tanks, planes, and whatever else the human military used for war.

"My new army, compliments of Director Galloway here. However, without our race to scan and transform into them, they are nothing but human garbage. I need that formula, Optimus."

Starscream closed the Hangar door, and said, "But for right now, DriveWave and I will go take care of the Autobots."

"Barricade!" He yelled.

Barricade looked to his leader. "Watch him."

"What about me?" Galloway asked. "You said you were going to fly me back to Washington today."

Starscream looked disgusted again. "You are so pathetic, Galloway. You can wait."

The hangar's main door opened, and the two mechs left.

Optimus looked at Galloway, and said, "Galloway, please release Gabby. She is innocent in all this."

Optimus sent a signal to the other Autobots to warn them of the pending danger.

"Quiet Prime!" Barricade said charging his cannon at Optimus.

The drones then aimed their guns at Optimus. Laserbeak suddenly appeared, and flew circles outside of where they were holding Gabby.

"I don't think so," Galloway said looking around. "You both have been enough trouble for me."

With that he walked away, and into another room.

….

The room was completely black. Gabby felt nervous about it. She had no idea when they would be back for her. She had heard Optimus talking to Starscream before, but it ended pretty quickly. She had heard the main hangar door open, and the rush of Starscream's engines, and DriveWave leaving. She couldn't relax though. It could be anytime that they would come for her, and then what would she do?

She also cried when she heard Laserbeak circling her door. She knew he was just itching to get at her, and it wouldn't be much longer.

Gabby still tried to get her hands out of the handcuffs, but it was no use. They were too tight. She had even tried to ram herself into the wall to try to break the chair, but she was too weak.

She knew once she gave them the formula they would kill her anyway. She could only pray that it would be quick.

She was about to give up. It was useless. Unless the other Autobots showed up, how could they get out of this? She didn't want it to end this way, but Optimus was apparently incapacitated, and so was she.

Gabby cried for a little bit. At least she had felt love, real love in her life. It may have been with an alien robot, but who cares. He would move heaven and earth for her, but right now he was just as bad as she. She hoped they met up on the other side.

Suddenly, the door opened, and the light came through. Gabby squinted her eyes, but could not see who was there. She had not heard Starscream come back so she wondered what whoever it was wanted.

Gabby bowed her head. So, this was probably it. Finally. She had enough.

The lights turned on, and there stood Barricade.

Gabby looked back at him. He was probably ordered to do something to her.

He walked up to her, and eyed her. His red eyes glowed. His face was set in a frown.

"Do what you need to do, but I hope you suffer when you're caught," she said weakly.

Suddenly, he covered her mouth. Gabby's eyes widened in fear.

"Shut up! Laserbeak is in recharge, and Galloway is asleep, and if Optimus is smart he will stay quiet too," he whispered to her.

Gabby was confused. What did he want?

He removed his hand from her mouth slowly. Gabby shut her mouth.

He then took the keys for the handcuffs and released Gabby.

Gabby still could not move, not knowing what to do.

He held out his hand to her. "Stay quiet, and come with me if you want to live."

Gabby hesitated. What if this was some kind of trick? They had been tricked before, and Gabby wasn't about to be very trusting.

Barricade was annoyed with her hesitation. "Femme, do you want to live or not? It's your choice."

Gabby knew she had no other choice. She took his hand, and they quietly made their way to the door.

"Why are you doing this for me?" Gabby whispered.

Barricade stopped her at the door, and looked around. He turned to her and said, "I have my reasons. Now, they should be back any time now so there will be battle, but I am going to disable the drones, and see that lever over there."

He pointed to his left. Gabby spotted the main circuits for the Hangar.

"Yes," she said.

"That will release Prime. His chains are electrified."

Gabby looked to her right and almost gasped. Optimus was surrounded by the drones, and was tied to a wall in chains. He was eyeing them. He stayed quiet as to not give anything away.

Gabby and Optimus stared for a moment, and Barricade spoke up.

"Go! Hurry up!"

Gabby didn't need any more coaxing. She ran over to the lever that was on the wall.

The drones had spotted her, and started to move towards her. Optimus was having a hard time staying quiet. His chains rattled and Gabby heard the surge of electric. She could hear him groaning.

Gabby grabbed the lever with all her strength. The damn thing was heavy. She started to pull it. She looked as the drones were closing in on her. Was this some kind of trap? Had Barricade tricked them after all?

Gabby continued to pull. They were getting closer! Shit!

Her hands were slipping on it from the blood on her hands and wrists.

Just as Gabby got the lever down, the drones suddenly short-circuited and fell on their sides.

Then she turned and watched in slow motion as Laserbeak screeched and started to fly towards her. She couldn't move, couldn't breathe. He was coming in fast.

Then a blue and silver hand shot out of nowhere in front of Gabby, and grabbed the Decepticon by his throat.

Optimus stood staring at the struggling enemy for a moment.

Laserbeak screeched again, and tried to charge his guns, but it was no use. Optimus had him in a good grip.

"I can only repay what you did to her and all the other humans that you murdered in cold blood," Optimus growled to the bird.

Gabby watched as Optimus tore through the Decepticons chest, and ripped out his spark.

He then crushed it in his hand. The bird went then went limp, and Optimus threw the body down.

He was dead. The one who had shot her was finally gone.

Before Gabby and Optimus could speak a voice cried out.

Optimus turned with his cannons ready, but lowered them.

There stood Barricade holding Galloway at gunpoint.

"Prime! Get her out of here!"

Optimus opened the door to the hangar, and transformed into bipedal mode.

He opened the door for Gabby to get in.

"What about you?" He asked Barricade.

"I will try to hold Starscream off as long as I can, but I don't know how long," he said.

Gabby looked at Galloway who was at a loss for words, for once.

"Come on, Gabrielle!"

Gabby climbed into the cab, and they took off into the desert.

…

They were riding as fast as Optimus could take them through the windy roads.

"I am so glad you are ok," Optimus said through the speakers.

Gabby had been cleaning off her wrists with a rag Optimus had given her.

"No, I am glad you are ok," Gabby said with a smile.

"I had no idea that Starscream would go that far…"

"Optimus, it's ok. You didn't know," she said putting her hand on his dashboard.

"I have to finish this Gabby," Optimus suddenly said.

Gabby nodded in understanding; she knew it was not over.

"I know. Who is Unicron?"

"You do not want to know, but if I can delay his arrival it will give us more time."

Gabby nodded again in understanding. "Where are the rest of the Autobots?"

"They are still about 200 miles from us. We are going to meet them now. They defeated DriveWave from Ratchet's report, but Starscream escaped."

Gabby sat for a moment staring out the window. They were coming up to a mountainous area. She would have admired the beauty of the landscape, but now was not the time.

"Why did Barricade help us?" She asked suddenly.

"I wish I could answer that one. He used to be an Autobot, but turned after the war began."

Gabby gasped a little, but she could not finish. They entered the mountains, and suddenly a missile sent Optimus skidding off the road into the dirt of the desert.

"It's time," Optimus said.