Hey guys! Thank you for all the encouraging reviews! Although, I'm sorry to say that my next update probably won't be until after this coming Wednesday, the 17th. My damn power supply for my laptop had a break in the cable and a bunch of orange sparks later, I managed to get a new one ordered from the warranty I have covering it from Best Buy... However the power supply won't arrive until somewhere around Wednesday because they had to go and order it from a warehouse in California and here I am in Indiana. I've only managed limited access to another computer, so this long-ass update will have to tied you guys over until around the end of next week. Which really sucks for me too because I have documents from another story that I've been working on that kind of goes along with this one and it's about -cough- anyway... For all of you who hate cliffhangers, my apologies for this update! But otherwise, Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers, however I claim soul ownership over Project Seven and Project Five!
P.S. For some odd reason this computer doesn't come equipted with any sort of microsoft works or word processor, so I was unable to make sure that I didn't make any screw-ups through spell check and all of that good stuff. So if there are any words spelled incorrectly, or sentences without the correct punctuation, I apologize. Because hukt oon foniks werkt 4 mee neway.
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"Oh... Okay then. What did she say when you asked her?" Sam was confused at first but went straight back to what they had been speaking about.
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-Flashback-
The Autobots had just finished admitting what it was that they had spoken with Five about and Cat sighed.
"Yeah, I thought so..." the girl quietly worked on her little projects.
"So it must be true then. You are aware of your own fate?" Ratchet asked.
Cat looked in front of them to see that the SUV carrying the other Humans was far off ahead of them.
"Well I don't know if this is my last day, but I'm pretty sure it's getting close anyway. Yes, I'm very much so aware of my illness and what it could possibly do to me. I'm actually surprised that you haven't bothered me about it until now," Cat smiled a little.
"We were unaware until yesterday, when Lillian had first let us in on the whole thing," Optimus replied.
"I see. Well, it's not like anything can be done right now. If you want us to help you get your Allspark, then it would be better to do it now, when we have the government's attention all over the place. That way they don't know when or where we'll come out of hiding," Cat explained firmly as she continued her work.
"Catherine, if you have the power of Alchemy, why not use it to aid you in what you're doing there?" Optimus asked.
Cat stopped what she was doing and froze for a moment before continuing her work saying, "I'm afraid I'm a bit worn out, and it's all I can do not to use my abilities to make me worse."
Hearing a revving engine speed past Optimus, Cat looked up quickly to see that he was tailing Five rather aggressively. She chuckled and said, "Five can't be happy about that," as she saw Sam and Mikaela turn around and wave at the Camaro, Bumblebee giving a honk in response and then easing off the back of the bumper.
"There, finished!" Cat announced happily as she felt them slow down and looked to see what lay ahead of them.
-End Flashback-
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"Fate? You mean... Cat's really dying?" Mikaela asked.
"I'm afraid so. Five claims that she may only have a few hours left before the problem claims her life," Ratchet replied.
"But... Cat... She's only been able to taste freedom for a such a short time..." Mikaela said sadly as she reached forward to Sam, embracing him.
Sam hugged the girl back tightly and said, "I know... I know..."
"I do not believe that Catherine sees it that way, Mikaela," Ratchet spoke up.
Sam and Mikaela looked to the radio, Sam asking, "What do you mean?"
"I believe that if Catherine thought that she had such a short and bittersweet taste of freedom, she wouldn't have stuck with us. I believe that she wants to make one last stand before letting go of her hatred of this facility, and that she has gained good friends in the process. If she had thought that this wasn't a good way to die, then she wouldn't have done it," he explained.
Sam looked to Mikaela and said, "I think he's right. She wouldn't have stayed with us if she thought that we were a threat to her or something like that. If she didn't trust us and think of us as friends, I think she would've left us a long time ago."
"Still, I wish there was something that we could do," Mikaela said softly.
"I also believe that there is a way to cure this disease that plagues the girl," Ratchet then said, everyone's attention on his words.
"How?" Mikaela asked.
"If we were to find the original woman who posseses the same genes as Catherine, we could possibly use her own blood to filter the effects of this threat. Either her, or the two people who procreated the original genes in the first place," the medic explained.
"Where do you think we'd find those people?" Sam raised an eyebrow.
"We would have to do a planet-wide search... Which either way, if we were to stop this mission in the making right now and find them later, or wait until this whole thing is over, we would most likely not find them in time. But it is only a theory."
"Well thanks for getting our hopes up... Wait!," Sam startled Mikaela, "Surely there would be records of the people who gave those genes in this place somewhere! Or what if Cat or even Five knows who the original person is who gave those genes?! They may know where they're at!" Sam said excitedly.
"... It's a possibility!" Ratchet realized.
Sam picked up the makeshift radio and spoke into it, "Cat! Cat are you there?! Cat?" they waited but there was no response.
"Uh, Sam?" Mikaela tugged on the boy's shoulder and pointed in front of them, seeing two other black SUV's pull up in front and beside of them.
"...I think we're in trouble..." Sam said into the radio quietly, watching as four agents surrounded them.
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Lillian had neared the central command center of the facility. Now all she needed was a way to get to the station that she needed to help open the doors as Cat and Five proceeded through the building. She got to the door and saw that it was guarded. All she needed to do was use a thumbprint on the fingerprint scanner at the door and get in. The guards monitoring that specific station which would tell them who is going through which door would probably not see her name come up in the files as she walked in.
Taking a deep breath, Lillian walked from behind the corner of the hallway that had hidden her from view of the guard, and walked directly to the door, keeping her face out of sight. The guard did not move an inch. He seemed to believe that she was just another agent who was doing her normal shift duties. She placed her thumb on the print scanner and the door opened, revealing a room full of agents and guards. Even though she could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest, Lillian stepped into the room and set her sights on the station that required her to be at.
Walking to the station, she stated firmly, "You are relieved of duty at this station, and are required to report to duty at the station of NBE One, immediately."
Lillian knew that it meant sending the guard to Cat and Five, but she was more than sure that they would take care of him once he arrived.
The guard turned in his chair and looked up at her with a raised eyebrow of suspicion.
"Identification?" he asked.
"W-What?" Lillian began to feel warm with fear.
"The memo? It states that before any personal are relieved by anyone else, they must present the correct identification until further notice. Where is your identification?" he stated sarcastically.
Lillian's heart jumped up into her throat. There were other guards around her that were beginning to take notice of the scuffle between the two, and were also seemingly to be waiting on her to present some sort of I.D. ... Unfortunately, the woman had forgotten about this step. It was commonplace procedure for raised security risks such as these.
"I asked you for your badge, soldier! Are you going to present it to me, or am I going to have to call in someone to have you removed?" he asked, beginning to stand.
"Ah-uh... Yes, a badge... Uh I-"
"Here's your badge, Meyers," a familiar male voice startled Lillian as someone from behind her handed a badge to the man at the station.
"B-Brad? What are you doing here?" she tried to sound calm, but it was almost obvious that she wasn't.
The guard at the station took Brad's badge and then looked to it, looking back to Brad, "Yes sir. I'll be heading to NBE One now..."
"Hold on just a moment, " Brad began, Lillian was sure that the cat was out of the bag now as she shivered with fear running down her spine, her heart nearly stopping.
"I need to speak to Miss Pratt, here, for a moment in private. Remain here until our return," Brad ordered, the guard sitting back down in his chair and returning to his duties as Brad lead Lillian out of the room and down a quiet corridor where there were no guards.
"Brad? What was-" she began before being interrupted.
"I took a quick moment to check your files. According to the computers, you have never been brought back for questioning. In fact, you were found, as of last night, but managed to elude the agents who were after you with the aid of Project Seven..." he explained leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, looking directly at Lillian.
Lillian looked away, she couldn't stand that kind of stare, and she didn't like where this was going.
"What are you going to do then?" she asked.
"Well I'd like for you to explain to me what the hell is going on here first..." he said.
Lillian looked to him and held firm to her ground. Someone was bound to find out sooner or later.
"Look, I don't have time to explain everything, but I'll tell you as much as I can," she started.
"Go on, I'm listening..." the man pressed on.
"She's alive Brad... She's alive and she's here..." she said, hoping it would explain at least half of her story.
Brad's eyes widened, "Project Seven in here in the facility?!"
"Quiet down!... Yes, she's here. Along with Project Five. We all came back here to retrieve something of rather large importance..." she explained.
"This doesn't have anything to do with the missing teenagers and the alien robots would it?" he asked.
"Yes, actually, it has everything to do with them. They are here as well, though not in the facility. They're waiting outside for us," she answered.
"What is it that you're here to retrieve then?" he asked, almost sure he already knew the answer.
"That cube of energy... It's not from this planet, hell it's not even from our own galaxy! The robots are here to retrieve it to save their own planet, and they're trying to retrieve it without any Human casualties," she went on.
"Why would aliens from another planet care if there are any Human casualties involved? From what I understand, they could easily destroy us if they wanted to," he stated.
"Well yes, that's true, they could. But these guys are different. They're trying to save this world from being annihalated from the war that they're fighting. You see there are others here like them, but they are a different faction. They seek the cube in order to gain power over their planet and the universe! The ones that are waiting outside for us are different. They're trying to protect this source of life, in order to protect our own world, and renew theirs..." Lillian explained in a desperate tone, hoping that her old friend would understand what their plight was.
"I see... So wars aren't just limited to our own planet... What about the robot that we have in our own custody? Who is that?" he asked.
"Apparently, he's the leader of the other faction, who calls themselves the Decepticons. His name, from what I understand is Megatron, and he's the most powerful one who could stop the others from protecting this planet and their own," she answered.
"Megatron?" a small smile tugged at the sides of his lips, "Sounds like some goofy cartoon character's name."
"This isn't a joke, Brad! We're all in danger here! If we don't get the Allspark into the hands of the Autobots, this planet is certainly fated to doom!" Lillian snapped back.
"Okay, okay, I get it! Don't get all excited on me now- wait... Allspark? Autobot?" he gave her a strange look as though to question her sanity.
"That's what they call the cube. The Autobots are the ones that are trying to protect it, and this planet!" she answered.
"But what does Projects Seven and Five have to do with any of this?" he asked.
"Seven is the one who made contact with the Autobots first, and befriended them. Five was, as you know, sent to seek out Seven, and she managed to find me, then find Seven, where we were all united as of yesterday, when all of this was explained to me. Both of them are trying to put all of this together, and if I don't get to that station to unlock the doors for them soon, they'll be captured and this whole mission will be a failure!" as she said this, the makeshift radio in Lillian's pocket began to squeak out muffled noises. Both Brad and Lillian looked to the woman's pocket as she pulled the small device out quickly.
"-ian? Are you there?! Have you been captured?!" the worried voice of Cat was muffled through the box.
Lillian pulled it to her mouth and quietly replied, "No, I'm fine. Where are you two?"
"Whew, for a moment I thought we had lost our only good chance to do this. We're at the first blockade of doors. We need you to open them as soon as you can. Are you at the command center yet?" Cat asked almost in a whisper herself. The sounds of Five's voice was in the background saying things like "I knew we shouldn't have sent that old bird to do this".
Lillian looked up to Brad as if asking for his permission to continue.
"Please, Brad... We don't have much time... Seven is dying, and she doesn't have much strength left... We need to do this now!" she pleaded urgently.
Brad looked to the radio device in the woman's hand and nodded, "I'll get you what you need, just... Don't ever tell anyone that I've done this for you. I've got a family you know... I could get some serious time in a federal prison for helping you..."
"Yes, yes I know the routine. If anyone asks, I tricked you, somehow into believing that I was an agent, you helped me get into the command center and that's the end of our time together on this," she replied.
Brad let out a tense sigh and said, "You'd better get back there, and quick..."
Lillian felt a wave of relief rush over her as she talked back into the radio, "I'm almost there, just hold tight for me and I'll have the doors unlocked in two minutes!"
"The others are at the hanger now, too. You need to open them for them while I talk them through. Please hurry Lil!" Cat said in a bit of urgency herself.
Brad and Lillian made it to the command center once again, and let the guard be relieved of his duties for now. Lillian sat in the chair as Brad overlooked what she was doing. She began to type in advanced codes and access information. A screen only visible to her eye-level at the moment showed a camera of the hallway that she was sure she needed to codebreak through first. She was almost delighted when she saw Cat stick her head out of the doorway that they were using for cover, looking down to the doors as if checking to see if Lillian had managed to do what they needed yet.
Brad whispered to the woman, "It's really her... She looks like she's in bad shape though..."
Lillian stopped her typing momentarily and nodded to confirm. There really wasn't much time left.
Resuming her typing, Lillian watched as the doors leading to a part of the facility which very few had ever seen opened, and she watched as Cat motioned for Five to follow her as they walked quickly through the doors.
"You'd better go, Brad, "Lillian whispered softly, "If you don't want to get caught up in this, then you'd better turn and leave while you have the chance."
Brad looked down to his once, co-worker and patted her on the shoulder gently as if to encourage her. He then nodded and walked out of the command center, leaving Lillian to her work.
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While waiting to hear a word from Lillian about her position, Cat heard a firm voice radio in, "Catherine, we have reached the hanger coordinates and are awaiting further instructions," Optimus said quietly. He almost sounded worried about something.
The concern in Optimus' voice didn't phase Cat too much this time around as she replied, "Hang on, we're waiting for Lillian to get to the command center to open the doors for us."
"Understood," he replied.
"Where the hell is she, Seven?" Five asked, getting impatient and worried more and more that the longer they stand there, the better chance they have of getting caught. Not that she was worried, she'd kill whoever was in her way quickly before they knew she was even there.
"Can you hear me? Lillian? Are you there?! Have you been captured?!" Cat asked, worried that they were in trouble.
"No, I'm fine. Where are you two?" the woman finally answered.
"Whew, for a moment I thought we had lost our only good chance to do this. We're at the first blockade of doors. We need you to open them as soon as you can. Are you at the command center yet?" Cat asked almost in a whisper.
"I knew we shouldn't have sent that old bird to do this!" Five commented sarcastically.
"Quiet Five!" Cat scolded her older counterpart.
There was a stretch of silence before Cat finally heard, "I'm almost there, just hold tight for me and I'll have the doors unlocked in two minutes!"
"The others are at the hanger now, too. You need to open them for them while I talk them through. Please hurry Lil!" Cat said in a bit of urgency. She was worried that everything wasn't coming together as it did in her mind while she was planning all of it.
The two waited for just a moment before Cat stuck her head out of the doorway that they had taken shelter under so as not to be seen by passerbyers. She watched for just a second as she saw the doors fly open.
"Come on!" she motioned to Five behind her as they both quickly walked through the set of doors that had just been opened for them.
As the two got through the doors and turned down yet another corridor, there were strange scratchy noises coming from the radio as it blaired a barely audible noise. It almost sounded like Sam.
"Sam? Sam is that you?" Cat asked as she slowed to a stop.
She almost couldn't hear it, but she was sure that she had heard something to the point of "I think we're in trouble".
Her eyes widened as she could the high-pitched noise that she had told Sam to make if they had been caught. Cat looked to Five, who frowned.
"We don't have time for them, Seven!" Five crossed her arms in anger.
"I told them that I'd help them if they were in trouble, and that's what I'm going to do..." she said as she spoke quickly into the radio.
"Listen up guys. Lillian, I need you to keep opening the doors to the room where the Allspark is for Five, also, I'll need you to open the doors that will lead me to the holding cells. Also open the hanger doors for the Autobots and make sure they make it to the Allspark as well. If Sam and Mikaela are being captured then these radios have been compromised. We can no longer communicate through them. Cat out!"
"Holding Cells?!" Five asked, becoming furious.
"Yeah, I'll go get the kids, you go get the Allspark... Make sure that Autobots don't have any problems getting it! If I think I need backup I'll give you a call," Cat smirked and pointed to her head, indicating that she would contact Five via their telepathy link.
Five growled a bit but knew that Cat was going to do that she wanted. She watched as her friend rallied off towards where the holding cells and interrogation rooms were. Though before anything else could be said, Five turned towards where the Allspark would be and snickered.
"Oh I'll help the Autobots all right... Don't you worry a bit little sis..." she laughed strangely and walked off in the direction of the Allspark.
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Chapter Teaser!
Cat couldn't help but feel curious as to why there were two cells already lit up. She walked to the large metal door of one of the rooms and looked in the small circular window. She saw a woman laying on a bed, similar to the one that they had given her to use in her old cell. The woman was curled up, her back to the wall, eyes on the floor. Her blonde hair was strewn over her face. It was obvious that she had been there a few days. Probably interrogated just as they were planning to do with Sam and Mikaela. Cat, then, walked to the other cell door and saw a rather chubby darker skinned man, asleep sitting up. His mouth agape as his snore was practically vibrating the door.
-These look like... Civilians! What the hell do they want with civilians?!-
