Fire in the Streets
Decepticon General Cyclonus stood upon the rear ramp of his personal yacht, watching as his soldiers rappelled down to the street below. Spread out ahead of him was the Taskforce compound, mostly a wreck from the Autobot assault that had occurred earlier. Human vehicles were spread across the street, several in various states of disrepair after his ship's preliminary volley of fire. A show of force, little more, but it had been enough to cause most of the humans in the area to run into hiding. It was good to be in battle once again, after such a long time spent upon his cruiser. Playing "negotiation" with the humans had been an irritating affair, nothing more than a farce that would only benefit Colonel Carver. Now that the human had lost control of the situation, it was only fitting that Cyclonus and his Decepticons move in to clean up the mess in their own way.
There were two Autobots on the ground below. Ultra Magnus and a female one he had never seen before, some kind of new arrival on the scene he assumed. They were greatly outnumbered, yet despite this were putting up a worthy struggle. Two against many, he mused. Cyclonus watched as his own soldiers rappelled down thick cables that had been sent dangling from the ramp. They were all ground-pounders, there were few fliers in his forces.
Ultra Magnus took a shot at him from the street below, sending it into the bottom of the ramp. The impact was enough to cause one of the other Decepticons to lose his balance, sending him falling off of the edge before he made a certainly painful landing on the ground below. Cyclonus just laughed in response to the attack, finding it more exciting than anything else. This was what he had been made for, to go into battle and engage his foes directly instead of attempting some underhanded tactics such as the one he had employed to eliminate the human 'President'. Cyclonus looked down at Ultra Magnus, noticing the disgruntled look on the large Autobot's face.
"I'll give you a death worthy of a warrior, Magnus!" Cyclonus shouted, hoping to get his voice heard above the sounds of the battle. As the last half a dozen of his squad rappelled down to the street, Cyclonus readied the fusion cannon he carried in his right arm. He took aim at the pair of Autobots, both of whom had started rushing across the road, heading for the cover within the industrial estate nearby. "Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war!"
Cyclonus sent a fusion cannon blast into the road near the two Autobots, causing the female one to stumble. Even so, she recovered quickly and the pair smashed their way through the wire fence around the perimeter of the industrial zone. The ship followed them, allowing Cyclonus to sight on them again. Some of the human police officers on the ground had started shooting up at him, although they were quickly distracted by the Decepticon soldiers on the ground, many of whom opened fire into the cluster of law enforcement vehicles. Entire cars exploded, others were riddled with blaster fire and several of the human officers disappeared amongst the flames and smoke. Dirt and chunks of tarmac rained down upon the street. Cyclonus watched Ultra Magnus shoot down one of the Decepticon soldiers, planting a heavy rifle shot directly into his chest. Losses were inevitable in a fight like this, even if the two Autobots below were greatly outnumbered. Ultra Magnus would not go down easily and had likely fought under worse odds in the past. He was, Cyclonus thought, in some ways similar to himself. Both had played second-in-command on their respective sides in the war. They were both seasoned veterans and fought valiantly for their causes. Killing Ultra Magnus would be a shame, a waste of a perfectly good soldier. However, sometimes one had to do things they did not entirely approve of, all for the greater good. By the time this day was over, Cyclonus would have the Seal and he would be the one to herald a new era for Cybertron. He would place the entire planet under his dominion and do what Megatron had failed to do himself.
"Preoccupied, Magnus?" Cyclonus shouted. He followed this with a hearty chuckle before sending another fusion cannon blast into the ground below. This one struck one of the large metal tanks within the industrial area, igniting the fuel contained within. The whole thing erupted into a massive ball of flame and molten metal, causing his ship to shake as the shockwave connected with its underbelly. He watched as Ultra Magnus stumbled from the force of the explosion while one of his own Decepticons was knocked backwards, hitting the fence at the edge of the industrial estate where it collapsed under the soldier's weight. As for the female, she had run on ahead, stopping now to turn around and watch the destruction unfold. Cyclonus' soldiers pressed on into the industrial area, striding through the thick smoke that had built up from the explosion, their energy weapons firing and sending red and purple blasts forth.
"General," a voice called into his comms. It was the pilot of his personal yacht. "We have detected two other Autobot signatures, heading into the area. Another one has gone deeper into the city."
Cyclonus briefly pondered this development. Help was coming for the beleaguered Autobots, while one fled further into the urban centre. He will get them all, in time.
"Keep us on Magnus," Cyclonus barked. "I want to be the one to kill him. I will tear out his spark with my bare hands, and I will do the same to every other Autobot who crosses my path!"
There was a pause. The pilot likely thought him mad, but knew better than to state as much.
"Understood, General."
"Magnus!" Cyclonus shouted at the Autobot Commander then, watching as he raced for one of the warehouse structures within the industrial estate. "Your friends cannot save you now. Face me, warrior to warrior. Spare us the chase. Spare yourself the humiliation! Face your death with dignity!" He raised his fusion cannon and fired, sending a blast into the front of the warehouse building as Ultra Magnus smashed his way through the entrance. One corner of the structure erupted into fire and smoke, the explosion enough to cause a large section of the roof to collapse. Ultra Magnus was no doubt still alive, his spark still pulsed on Cyclonus' sensors. And, as if on cue, he appeared amongst the smoke and debris, standing upright with the rifle raised to his shoulder. He fired at the approaching Decepticons, gunning another one down before the return fire forced him to back off.
"As expected, a warrior like him would not have come far without being stubbornly hard to kill," Cyclonus said to no one in particular. Ultra Magnus took a few shots up at him, causing him to take a step away from the edge of the ramp as the heavy rifle shots pounded into the hull nearby.
Bumblebee and Doubletake had turned around from their trip to the rendezvous point outside of the city as soon as Cyclonus' ship had appeared on their sensors. Both of them, in their vehicle modes, raced back towards Las Vegas while Cyclonus' personal ship rained plasma fire onto the outskirts from up high, Decepticon soldiers rappelling down onto the streets as its guns pounded the compound and surrounding industrial zones. Even from a distance, it was clear that the other Autobots were greatly outnumbered. Bumblebee had no qualms about charging right in, it was the least he could do after what they had done to him, and to Knock Out especially. Doubletake trailed along behind, apparently as keen to charge in as Bumblebee was.
Ultra Magnus and Wildstrike had rushed into an industrial estate where there was more cover. Both Bumblebee and Doubletake came barrelling down the street, transforming as they moved, their momentum carrying them along, their metal feet grinding into the road. Bumblebee had a blaster pistol clenched in his left hand and brought it up firing, blowing away a Decepticon on the road ahead. The Decepticon soldier fell backwards and landed on a parked police car, crushing it under his weight. Bumblebee vaulted over an overturned car, bringing him within metres of another Decepticon. This one, bulky and silver in colour, swivelled around and raised an energy cannon. Bumblebee lunged into him, knocking him to the ground before he planted the pistol to the Decepticon's head. A single shot blew it apart, splattering the yellow one-armed Autobot with bright blue energon fluid.
Doubletake rushed past him, heading down the street to where a pair of Decepticons had been shooting into the industrial estate. Both did not see him coming, preoccupied with Ultra Magnus and Wildstrike. Doubletake had his submachine gun clenched in one arm and pulled the trigger, spraying the pair of Decepticons with a withering hail of fire. One of them fell, riddled with holes that leaked energon. The other took a few rounds in the side and the chest before he turned around, bringing his arm cannon to bear. Doubletake dived to one side as a volley of red energy bolts came his way, zipping over him as he landed behind a parked car.
Bumblebee snatched up the dropped energy cannon. It was a bulky weapon that fired a large wave of energy that dissipated over a moderate distance. Designed for close quarters fighting and from what he could tell, the distances involved here were small enough. In one fluid movement he was up on his feet, his pistol clipped to his waist and the energy cannon clutched in his lone hand. A pull of the trigger sent a large pulse of red energy towards the wounded Decepticon. It struck him in the chest, the force behind it enough to lift him off of his feet and send him flying backwards. He hit the front of a suburban home, a small and fairly modest one, likely a cheap one too given the mostly industrial neighbourhood it was bordered on. The Decepticon flattened the front of the beige coloured home, landing in a heap as the roof caved in under his weight, his back landing in the living room, shattering a television set and flattening a couch. The large hole burned into its chest smouldered and smoked, the spark chamber a mess of molten metal that cooled quickly in the air.
"Wheeljack's gone on ahead," Doubletake shouted as he rose to his feet. "He'll need backup."
"You go," Bumblebee said. He looked up at Cyclonus' ship, watching as the figure of the General himself fired a fusion cannon in the general direction of Ultra Magnus and Wildstrike. "I'll help the Commander."
Doubletake nodded in acknowledgement. He transformed into his vehicle mode of a silver sports car and sped off down the street, heading towards the city centre. He floored it past the Decepticons further ahead, getting some shots sent his way. Most were preoccupied with moving into the industrial estate in order to encroach upon Ultra Magnus and Wildstrike. Bumblebee saw that he was in the perfect position to flank them. That would even the odds somewhat, even with how outnumbered he was.
Bumblebee started along the flank, heading into the suburban neighbourhood that ran along the edge of the industrial area. Most of the civilians here had left in a hurry, leaving plenty of litter in their wake such as clothing and papers. Bumblebee kept low, ducking behind the houses as best he could, before he found a bulky Decepticon firing into the industrial area from behind one of the small houses. Bumblebee promptly shot him in the back with the blast cannon, knocking him forwards and sending him onto the road where he ended up spread-eagled with a smoking hole blown into his back. Ahead, there were several more Decepticons scattered throughout the industrial zone, although both Ultra Magnus and Wildstrike were not in sight.
One of the Decepticons spotted him then as he ducked behind the house. A null ray shot zipped over the building's roof, sailing off into the distance. Bumblebee kept down, only for another shot to strike the front of the house and go straight through. Part of the wall in front of him exploded outwards, sending the powerful blasting shooting by him by a narrow margin before it struck the neighbouring home. There, it blew clean through the brick wall and travelled onwards through another three homes before it finally ran out of steam. Bumblebee dived forwards as the third shot exploded out of the house in front of him, passing through the space he had just been occupying. He hit the grass several metres ahead, his upper body becoming exposed down the side of the home. Here, he raised the weapon in his one arm and returned fire, the blast pulse blowing away the wooden fence ahead before it travelled across the street and struck a parked car near the Decepticon soldier. The whole car was lifted off of its wheels and sent rolling through the air before it collided with the fence of the industrial estate. The Decepticon jumped to one side and sent another null ray shot in Bumblebee's direction. This one missed him narrowly, hitting the ground near his head and showering him with dirt.
Bumblebee scrambled to his feet and fired again, the blast pulse striking the Decepticon in the right shoulder, shearing his arm clean off of the rest of his body. His null ray went flying off with it, landing far out of reach. Bumblebee started walking forwards, the energy blast cannon raised while the Decepticon soldier screamed in agony. The yellow Autobot pulled the trigger again, blowing the Decepticon's head apart, sending the rest of his body crumpling into a heap on the road.
"My favourite Autobot," a voice called from behind him. Bumblebee swivelled around, his spark lurching in his chest. He found the voice to be chillingly familiar. Shadowstriker had appeared, standing before the row of suburban homes. Bumblebee could not quite figure out how he had come here without him noticing, but he figured that a stealth and infiltration expert like Shadowstriker would have to know how to do such things. "How's the arm?" Shadowstriker beared his jagged metal teeth in a malevolent smile.
The stump of his right arm had started to ache somewhat, now that Shadowstriker had appeared. A phantom pain, irritating at least, agonizing at worst. Bumblebee felt a surge of anger in him as he watched the Decepticon. This one had been the cause of so much pain to him that Bumblebee's usually level-headed demeanour began to give way to something far more aggressive.
Shadowstriker pulled his sword from where it was sheathed at his back. The blade glinted in the sunlight. In the industrial estate nearby, Ultra Magnus and Wildstrike continued to battle the Decepticons. No one would be coming to help Bumblebee.
Bumblebee raised the energy blast cannon in Shadowstriker's direction. Shadowstriker ducked and swung his blade, but Bumblebee jumped backwards, narrowly missing the swing. This time he would not be caught off-guard so easily. Even so, his energy blast cannon caught the blade. The sword cut it cleanly in half, causing the front end and barrel to fall away, leaving Bumblebee holding the useless grip. He dropped it and rolled to the side as Shadowstriker lunged forwards with a follow-up swing, the blade passing through the air that Bumblebee had been occupying a second previously.
The Autobot jumped onto his feet, unarmed but ready to face his opponent, even if he only had one arm. He knew that Shadowstriker would be able to easily exploit this weakness, but Bumblebee was not in the mindset to retreat. There was nowhere to run and his friends needed his help.
Bumblebee shifted into a ready pose, his close-quarters combat training and experience kicking in as Shaodwstriker turned to face him. The Decepticon charged forwards, swinging his blade from the right around to the left. Bumblebee ducked and tackled him before he could recover, sending him onto the road, his one arm going for Shadowstriker's sword-wielding hand. The pair struggled for the blade, but Shadowstriker had the clear advantage as he still had both of his arms. One of his hands went for Bumblebee's neck, gripping it tightly, placing pressure upon the vital energon lines that ran through it. Bumblebee's one hand went to this one, prying it away from his neck before he jumped backwards, hoping to gain a moment's worth of recovery time. Shadowstriker was quick to jump back onto his feet, spinning his sword about in one hand as he narrowed his cruel red optics, his mouth forming into an excited, if somewhat menacing, grin. He looked like he was about to say something, but Bumblebee did not give him that opportunity. Instead, he jumped forwards and sent a powerful kick towards Shadowstriker, catching him in the side, the blow enough to make him stumble and put his guard down if only for a second. Bumblebee followed this with another kick from the opposite direction, catching Shadowstriker in the arm. This caused the sword to fly from his grip, sending it clattering along the road where it landed well out of reach.
Shadowstriker responded by shifting his hands out in front of him, holding them at the ready, his optics set firmly on the yellow Autobot in front of him. Even without his sword, Shadowstriker still had one arm more than Bumblebee and thus carried an advantage. Bumblebeee circled him and Shaodwstriker followed suit, the pair keeping one another in front of themselves at all times. The battle raging in the industrial area across the street was practically blocked out of their senses, all their focus upon the opponent before them. Bumblebee had not been in a fight like this for a long time. There was no doubt in his mind that this would be to the death. Shadowstriker certainly would not spare him any quarter.
Bumblebee awaited the Decepticon to make the first move. Shadowstriker had been expecting a pushover, so Bumblebee's surprising resistance had caught him somewhat off-guard. He lashed out then, a left hook followed by a right one, the first of which Bumbleebee dodged. The second strike he deflected with his one arm, knocking the attacking arm aside before sending a kick into Shadowstriker's stomach. The Decepticon took a step backwards from the force of the blow but followed up with one of his own, sending a powerful, sweeping kick into Bumblebee's side that the Autobot failed to avoid. Bumblebee was sent stumbling against a parked car, his weight enough to dent the roof and sides as well as smash out the side windows. Shadowstriker took advantage of this opportunity and pressed towards him, bringing down one fist in an effort to smash Bumblebee's head in. Fortunately, the Autobot rolled away from the incoming blow and Shadowstriker instead sent his fist through the roof of the car.
Snarling, Shadowstriker pulled it free and brought a fist down again. Bumblebee rolled clean off of the car and onto the pavement. Shadowstriker's fist went through the windshield, shattering it completely. He turned to face Bumblebee and rushed him, causing the Autobot to use his one good arm to grab at the Decepticon as he neared. He used Shadowstriker's own momentum against him, sending him tumbling forwards into the wooden fence that ran outside one of the small suburban homes nearby. Shadowstriker crashed through it, wooden fragments flying everywhere as his own momentum carried him into the house. He smashed into the side of it, causing the brick-and-mortar wall to crumble beneath him. Falling forwards as part of the roof caved in, Shadowstriker ended up with his head in the kitchen and the rest of him sprawled along the grass just outside. Bumbleebee went after him, but Shadowstriker was far from out and had so far gained only a few scuffs and scrapes. He was back on his feet quickly, in time to meet Bumblebee who rushed him and punched him squarely across the jaw.
A spray of energon fluid erupted as his head snapped back from the blow. Bumblebee followed this with a kick to the chest that sent Shadowstriker falling backwards, smashing through the next wall of the home and causing the rest of the roof to cave in around them. However, he did not fall over completely and righted himself with surprising finesse. He responded to Bumblebee's landed strikes with a snarl before he lunged for the Autobot, sending them both falling back from the house and onto the street, leaving cracks in the pavement where they landed. Bumblebee struggled to push the Decepticon off of him, only succeeding after some struggle. This allowed him to rush backwards and compose himself, despite the aches he felt in places where Shadowstriker had landed hits. As for the Decepticon infiltration expert, he was on his feet also and had stepped over to a streetlight pole. With one hand, he ripped the pole out of the concrete, swinging it around like a quarterstaff. Bumblebee suddenly found himself having to avoid a whole flurry of swings from the long metal post, ducking underneath one and sidestepping another as Shadowstriker put him on the ropes. Finally the streetlight came swinging against Bumblebee's head, catching him in the side, bending out of shape from the impact while pain shot through his helm. His head jerked in the opposite direction and he felt a warm runny sensation in his mouth as energon lines broke inside his head. The world around him spun for a moment and he found himself stumbling to one side, only for Shadowstriker to follow-up the strike with another swing that caught him in the opposite side, this time in the torso. Pain shot through him and the pole bent out of shape once more.
"Pathetic," Shadowstriker spat. He struck Bumblebee once more, the attack powerful enough to send him off of his feet and carry him a few metres backwards where he landed painfully against a parked car, his head pounding.
Shadowstriker tossed the bent pole aside and strolled over to where his sword was lying. Bumblebee struggled to get back onto his feet, the world around him swaying in an odd manner and energon fluid dripping from his mouth like a human infant would often drool. Shadowstriker turned around and walked towards him, his sword clutched in one hand.
Bumblebee searched around himself for anything he could use as a weapon. A dead Decepticon lay nearby, the blaster pistol he had been carrying situated out of his reach but not to the extent as to be impossible to get. Slowly, Bumblebee moved off of the crushed car and began to hobble for the weapon. Shadowstriker saw this and started running towards him, all the more encouragement for Bumblebee to pick up the pace as best he could, despite the way his head pounded painfully, as if the whole thing was about to explode. He dived for the weapon, his one hand finding a grip on the handle, before he turned around as Shadowstriker came upon him. He fired a shot, clipping Shadowstriker in the left arm with a red bolt of energy. The Decepticon grunted, his pace interrupted, granting Bumblebee the opportunity to fire again. The next shot hit him in the right shoulder, causing the grip on his sword to slacken and the blade in question to clatter onto the pavement.
Shadowstriker lashed out with a kick, an angered look upon his metallic features. The kick hit Bumblebee in the arm, sending enough pain down its length and the pistol flying from his grip. Both opponents met each other in a hobbled over, pain-stricken state. Shadowstriker went to throw a punch, his arms now too weak for such attacks to carry the sort of weight they had had earlier. Bumblebee simply ducked underneath this latest strike and tackled him to the ground, only for Shadowstriker to throw him aside but inadvertently placed him within reach of his own blade.
Bumblebee found himself lying on his back, looking up at the blue sky, his chassis warm from the sunlight. His one hand scrambled along the blacktop before it wrapped itself around the hilt of Shadowstriker's blade.
Shadowstriker came upon Bumblebee but the Autobot brought the sword up, slicing through the arm that the Decepticon raised in an attempt to ward off the attack. Severing his left arm just above the elbow, Shadowstriker took a step backwards and shouted in agony. Blue energon fluid spurted from the stump. Bumblebee, his legs aching, slowly rose to his feet, the sword remaining clenched in his hand while Shadowstriker began to step backwards.
Bumblebee had no room in him for mercy, not to Shadowstriker. This Decepticon had done more than enough damage. Even as he approached Shadowstriker, the infiltration expert pulled another trick from his sleeve, somewhat literally as he bent over and pulled a small blade from a compartment hidden in his right thigh. This all happened in one quick, fluid movement that caught the Autobot off-guard. Shadowstriker gripped this small, serrated knife in his remaining hand, holding it in a threatening position. Bumblebee was close, close enough to bring the sword up and over his head. Shadowstriker rushed forwards and closed what little remaining distance had been between them. He plunged the knife into Bumblebee's chest, just as the Autobot brought the sword down in a powerful overhead motion.
Shadowstriker's head was cut right down the middle by the sword, both halves hanging to either side while energon spurted forth. Bumblebee took a few steps backwards, pain running through his chest from the blade that had found its home slightly to the left of his spark chamber. Shadowstriker fell to his knees and Bumblebee, using what remaining strength he had, plunged the infiltrator's sword straight through the centre of his chest. The light within his spark chamber flared and then vanished, the glow in his optics fading. Bumblebee left the sword impaled in the Decepticon as his lifeless corpse fell to its knees and then, finally, the Autobot crumpled into a heap on one side.
Bumblebee felt very little after the act. What he did feel was pain, and much of it, as the blade in his chest sent waves of it through him. His strength had waned and continued to do so. Nonetheless, he put his hand to the hilt of the knife and pulled, emitting an agonized shout as he crudely yanked the blade free. Tossing it aside, he collapsed against the parked car behind him, energon fluid flowing from the gash left by the blade. Behind him, in the industrial area, Ultra Magnus and Wildstrike continued to fight. As much as he would have liked to go in and help, he found that he did not have the strength to do so. He lost consciousness a moment later.
Ultra Magnus and Wildstrike had been surrounded. Several Decepticons fired on their position within the industrial area, the pair of Autobots finding themselves trapped amongst a set of squat warehouse-type structures that provided only light cover at best. Above, Cyclonus fired from his personal yacht and the ship's plasma guns pounded into the surrounding area on occasion. Every time Ultra Magnus and Wildstrike stayed still for too long, a shot from one of the ship's plasma cannons would force them to move, usually into the open. And then the Decepticon soldiers would rain fire in their direction. Ultra Magnus had already taken a few shots, each new hole punctured through his armour burning ferociously. Thankfully none of those shots had struck anything really important. As for Wildstrike, she was not too far from him, her submachine gun bordering on overheating from all the rounds it had been spewing.
Ultra Magnus looked up, watching as Cyclonus levelled his fusion cannon once again.
"Incoming!" He shouted to Wildstrike. She ducked behind a partially broken wall and Ultra Magnus jumped aside as the fusion cannon blast struck the ground nearby, showering the pair with dirt.
Blaster fire from behind caused Wildstrike to swivel in response, her submachine gun letting fly with a hail of supersonic rounds. The Decepticon soldier who had tried to get around them was torn to shreds, collapsing by a train car situated on the rail line that travelled out of the industrial area. Ultra Magnus started to move back, motioning to Wildstrike to do the same. Keeping under the shelter that was over the train-yard, this ensured that Cyclonus did not have such an easy time of targeting them.
Nonetheless, it did incite him to order the plasma guns to fire again. A swirling blast of energy struck part of the shelter, going straight through the corrugated metal before it struck a locomotive. The whole thing exploded into a fireball of blue energy. Ultra Magnus stumbled slightly as the concussive wave hit him. Regardless, he pressed forwards, with Wildstrike trailing a short distance behind. Cyclonus' ship followed, hovering low overhead, its large engines humming loudly and trailing blue energy in their wake.
"My thoughts are bloody, Magnus! You prolong the inevitable!" Cyclonus shouted. It was not the first time he had shouted down at the two Autobots. It likely would not be the last.
Ultra Magnus stopped by the perimeter fence. Ahead, the railway line travelled onwards into the desert. Las Vegas lay much farther to his left, past an entire suburban area comprised of rows of quaint houses. Wildstrike stopped near him, briefly checking over the submachine gun in her right hand.
"I'd give up a lot of energon if it meant shutting that guy up," she commented, gesturing with one hand in Cyclonus' general direction.
Ultra Magnus looked past her and towards the buildings they had gone by seconds earlier. A Decepticon stepped into view, a large rifle raised at the ready. Ultra Magnus stepped forwards and pushed Wildstrike aside as he fired a shot from his heavy rifle, the blast catching the Decepticon in the chest. The entire front of his torso exploded in flame and the Decepticon fell backwards, landing in a heap on the dirt.
Wildstrike turned to him. Maybe her pride had been hurt, Ultra Magnus could not be certain. She certainly did not show it.
"Always good to know you've got my back, sir," she said. Was that the hint of a smile at her mouth? Ultra Magnus had no time to make certain, as a volley of energy weapons fire came at them from the other side of the compound. The Autobot Commander ducked behind the locomotive to his side, the red bolts of energy searing the metal. He shifted his gaze to where the fire had come from and he watched as a pair of Decepticon soldiers rushed into the area, spreading out, with one firing an arm cannon while the other began to run around the left flank. Ultra Magnus ducked around the parked train, raising his heavy rifle as he did so. The Decepticon rounded the corner further up ahead and the pair started firing, with the Decepticon going down from a shot to his chest. This was not before he had fired a few shots from his own submachine gun, the supersonic rounds catching Ultra Magnus in the torso, stinging painfully as they punched into his armour. He grunted, clenching his jaw as he started ahead. Wildstrike followed several paces behind.
"Our revels now have ended!" Cyclonus sounded like he was enjoying himself immensely.
From above, one of the plasma cannons on the Decepticon General's ship fired. The shot slammed into the end of the train ahead, the explosion of blue flame and the concussive wave of air it emanated enough to knock Ultra Magnus backwards. Molten metal rained down all around and the metal shelter overhead collapsed, sheets of metal landing across him. He brushed them off with ease, finding that Wildstrike was there with one arm out that he took, allowing her to help him up. Back on his feet, he rushed forwards, smashing through the perimeter fence and onto a road. Above, Cyclonus' ship followed, the Decepticon General himself levelling his fusion cannon for another shot. This one zoomed down and connected with a parked car a few metres ahead of Ultra Magnus, causing the entire vehicle to explode violently. One of the doors came flying out and clipped him in the shoulder before it went clanking along the pavement to his side. A panicked human in a passing vehicle hit the gas and went racing straight by the Autobot Commander, self-preservation the only thing on his mind.
Wildstrike had her back to him, her attention focused on the Decepticon soldier rushing after them. She cut him down with a hail of submachine gun fire, only for the weapon to cease firing a part way through, leaving the Decepticon riddled with holes but not quite enough of them for him to stop moving.
"I'm out of ammunition," she called. Ultra Magnus turned around and sent a heavy rifle shot towards the wounded Decepticon where he lay, the blast powerful enough to blow one arm clean off.
Wildstrike threw the submachine gun aside and pulled a smaller side-arm from where it had been clipped to one thigh. It was a standard Autobot model, small and compact with fairly average stopping power. She held it up in one hand, surveying the area behind them. Above, Cyclonus' ship hovered ominously. One of its plasma cannons shifted slightly, its barrel moving to point in their direction.
"Let's go!" Ultra Magnus shouted. He rushed across the road, with Wildstrike behind him. Smashing through a short wall separating the road from the suburban block behind it, Ultra Magnus continued to press onwards towards the city. At least in there the pair would have somewhat better protection, instead of being caught out in the open like this. Still, he was not keen on causing any collateral damage. By attacking the Taskforce compound, the Autobots had inadvertently trapped themselves in what was beginning to appear as what many would call a 'no-win situation'. They could not flee into the desert, as Cyclonus' ship would be able to easily track them. Going into the city would simply bring the wrath of the Decepticons upon the human population. They had to do something about the ship above. Ultra Magnus took note of the thick rappelling cables hanging from the ship's rear ramp, the same ones that had been used by Cyclonus' soldiers to safely come down to the ground without hurting themselves. The armour on the ship would have been too thick for his heavy rifle to penetrate. If he could get inside, he would have a far easier time of bringing it down.
The plasma cannon on the ship's underbelly fired, halting his train of thought. The searing bolt of energy connected with the small suburban home nearby, obliterating it. Wooden splinters and chunks of brickwork scattered all around. Ultra Magnus returned fire with his rifle, sending a few shots into the ship's underside, leaving at most scorch marks and dents. Across the road, a pair of bulky silver Decepticon soldiers moved into view, both with in-built arm cannons. Red bolts of energy zipped across the street and Ultra Magnus found himself exposed, as was Wildstrike who was nearby. He ducked, ignoring the shot that clipped him in the side. Wildstrike had started to return fire, slowly backing away as she did. One of the Decepticons fell, holes blasted into its torso, while the other pressed forwards with a determined look on its face. Ultra Magnus took a few steps backwards as energy weapons fire clipped the house on his left, blowing chunks of brickwork into his optics. As his aft hit the ground he brought his rifle to bear and pulled the trigger, blowing a large hole into the Decepticon's front. The enemy soldier fell backwards, arms outstretched, before he landed upon the barrier that ran along the road's edge, crushing it under his weight.
Wildstrike turned around, a worried glance crossing her face as she saw Ultra Magnus' latest wounds.
"Sir, you've been hurt," she said, running towards him. Ultra Magnus was about to reply, to tell her that they were nothing to worry about. The words escaped him when a fusion cannon blast connected with her upper back, coming down from up high, from where Cyclonus stood upon the lowered rear ramp of his ship. Wildstrike's optics widened and fire erupted from where she had been hit, all while she fell forwards and landed only a short distance from the Autobot Commander.
"I am as constant as the northern star!" Cyclonus called.
Ultra Magnus felt a pang of despair and gritted his metal teeth. He looked up, aiming his rifle as he did so, firing a trio of shots that connected with the ship's rear ramp. Cyclonus stepped back out of view. One of the shots hit a pylon supporting the ramp, causing it to list slightly, no doubt discouraging Cyclonus from putting his weight on it.
Wildstrike had a smouldering hole in her back, one that was slightly bigger than Ultra Magnus' fist. The blast had burned right through to the delicate organs underneath and blue fluid gushed from broken and seared energon lines. She was not moving and Ultra Magnus, his stoicism slipping ever so slightly, put aside his rifle and rolled her over. The lights in her blue optics had gone dim, her mouth slightly agape as if she was still surprised at what had just occurred. Ultra Magnus looked down at her wistfully, gently running a hand along one side of her face.
"Sir..." She croaked. Energon fluid trickled out of her mouth. Her face formed into a strained expression. "Is it...bad?"
Ultra Magnus shook his head. A feeble sounding chuckle escaped the female's mouth.
"Don't lie..."
"Don't talk," Ultra Magnus countered. He rested her head to the ground. "Save your strength." He did his best to keep his voice level, despite the emotions that ran rampant within him. It had been a long time since he had felt anything like he did now. In fact, he was not certain whether he had felt like this for anyone else before. He had lost friends in the past, but this was different. Wildstrike had very much found her way into his spark.
"You promised..." Wildstrike said. Ultra Magnus knew exactly what she was referring to. Up above, the hum from the engines on Cyclonus' ship amplified into a roar. It was changing course.
"I did," Ultra Magnus said. She held out a hand to him and he took it, her slender fingers contrasting to his far bulkier ones. "I meant it. There is no one I'd rather be bonded to." He became aware that her grip had eased considerably. Looking down at her, he saw that the light in her optics had completely gone. He let her hand go then, easing it to the ground. Slowly, he stood up, his face expressionless; in contrast, his mind was ablaze. Emotions reeled through him and finally his face contorted into an angered scowl.
He looked up. Cyclonus' ship was beginning to move away, heading for the city. They would likely go after the Seal, something that Ultra Magnus could not allow. He stood up and picked up his rifle. His gaze went to the ship as it slowly moved away, and then to the rappelling cables that dangled from it, wobbling above the suburban homes. They were not too close to the ground, but they were close enough. He started running for the nearest one, aware that a trio of Decepticons had appeared across the street. All three started shooting his way, energy weapons fire zipping by him and blasting chunks out of the surrounding homes as the Autobot Commander sprinted through the neighbourhood. A couple of the shots caught him in the side, sending searing pain shooting through him, but he kept going, his feet carrying him quickly down the block before he jumped onto the roof of one house at the corner. From here, he quickly jumped again, his weight crushing roof tiles and sending pieces of them sliding out of their housings. With one arm outstretched, he wrapped his hand around the cable, twisting it around his arm for better grip as the ship ascended and carried him over the suburbs.
Below, the trio of Decepticons shifted their fire. Bolts of red energy shot by him. His heavy rifle in his other hand, Ultra Magnus fired back at them, gunning one of the Decepticons down while the remaining two ducked into cover. Above, the ship's engines hummed loudly as it rose high enough to clear the tall buildings in the downtown area some distance ahead. Ultra Magnus found himself in a literally precarious position, but he knew what he was going to do next. He would give Cyclonus the warrior's death he very likely wanted.