Okay, as of right now there are at least 3 to 4 chapters of this story left. I will try to not make it much longer than those 3 to 4 chapters, but—as I have learned all too well with my writing stream of thought—that is subject to change. But so far, it looks like I can finish this up in 3 to 4 more chapters so we'll see how we do.
Moonlightdeer—I guess some men really can be oblivious, even if they are technically sentient, giant alien robots from a distant planet.
Alice Gone Madd—I know right? Prime, seriously, how blind are you?! And I don't think I've ever created characters I hate as much as those girls—not even Bombardier! I mean, at least Bomber I could respect, but these girls… ugh! *singing* SHE'S ALIVE! SHE'S ALIVE!
Bee4ever—You didn't think I'd actually kill her off did you? I love that pup! It was hard enough killing Gemma and I wouldn't have done that if it hadn't been for something important, so to kill of Tempest just as collateral damage? Not happening!
AllSpark Princess—In my TF stories, it is never too late. :)
IshBabe1497—XD I'm really looking forward to that reunion, too. I need some happiness to write!
SunnySides—Nope. Since you don't have to do mouth-to-mouth with CPR anymore, I didn't do that. I don't understand why they feel the urge to speak like that either. For me all of the excess 'likes' are very distracting and detract from what they're trying to say. *in preppy girl voice* Like, okay, guys, like, seriously stop, like, okay? *normal voice* See what I mean? Though I will say this; when it comes to acting, those types of girls can be really fun to play and make fun of. XD And don't worry! There's plenty of Artemis writing in this chapter! *to paramedics* MEDICINE! SHE NEEDS MEDICINE STAT!
Sunstreaker's Squishy—No. I never intended to kill of Tempest, I just needed a way to give Artemis more ambition to go after Megatron when she finally faces him in the final battle. I love that pup—she's my favorite non-human/humanoid OC that I've ever created (technically, she's kind of the only one in that category). She's actually just a bit inspired by a dog that I have. Her name is Rainy and while she's a Border Collie Black Lab mix and is older than Tempest is now she's still got that klutzy pup attitude and is very, very sweet… despite her overeager-ness.
WolfAssassin369—Now come on, Wolfie, that's really not fair. Saying that the girls have the IQ of a rock is an insult to rocks everywhere. Don't hate on the rocks, little sis. XD I'm pretty sure most people had spotted it from the very beginning—I made it pretty obvious.
Autobotlover56—UPDATE!
alienlover64—Yes, you and Optimus were both painfully slow. You both need to take classes on learning how to spot obvious things! But that can happen later. Right now, we have more urgent matters to take care of. ANGRY MOB, CHARGE! *runs toward Megatron with battle cry*
The Angel of Thursday—Hey! Kinda wondering where you dropped off to, but I can totally understand why. Glad you're back and are enjoying this story again. :)
Gabby M—*shrugs and sighs* I don't even try to figure out Prime's thought process anymore. And so glad you finally got an FFN account! Welcome aboard officially! *hugs* You will learn very quickly if you keep reading and reviewing my stories that I can be a very huggy person. I love hugs! That's really a major drive behind writing all the fluff scenes in my books (admittedly, it was also a big drive for me to start writing fanfiction in the first place). Be warned.
I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS OR ANYTHING IN RELATION (unfortunately) I ONLY OWN MY OCS.
"I'm wakin' up. I feel it in my bones! Enough to make my systems blow! Welcome to the new age, to the new age. Welcome to the new age, to the new age. Whoa-oh…. Whoa-oh…. I'm radioactive! Radioactive. Whoa-oh…. Whoa-oh…. I'm radioactive! Radioactive…." Imagine Dragons; Radioactive
34
It's in Her Blood
Hoover Dam;
Soundwave stood by and watched as the black Hummer's came roaring into the hangar area of the dam and parked, their passengers pouring out of them. He walked over to Megatron once the man had exited his vehicle. "My lord," he said, bowing, "everything is prepared for the transfusion."
Megatron grinned evilly. "Good," he replied with a slow nod of the head. "Very good."
"Do you wish to begin the process now?"
Without warning Megatron shook his head. "No," he stated firmly. "Her blood is tainted with the tranquilizer now, we must wait for it to leave her system." He turned to watch as two of his men carefully unloaded the unconscious girl in question out of one of the vehicles. "Besides, if it is possible, I would like for her to agree to the procedure. I would rather not battle her for her blood."
Starscream came up beside the two of them then and gave the warlord a skeptical looking. "Lord Megatron," he said, "all due respect, but you can't possibly expect the child to willingly submit to the siphoning of her own blood."
Megatron looked at his second in command out of the corner of his eye and smirked. "Oh, no, Starscream?" He looked over to another Hummer where several more of his men were unloading—a bit more roughly—yet another insensible girl. "We will see just how defiant she is after I make her an offer she cannot refuse."
Malmstrom Air Force Base;
"What do you mean "Artemis is the AllSpark"?" Bryce questioned, staring at Optimus with a look that was just as confused as those of everyone else.
"Just what I said," Optimus answered. "Artemis literally is the AllSpark." Sighing, the Prime buried his face in his hands and shook his head at his own stupidity. "How could I be so blind to this? All of the signs were there: the shard disintegrating after she touched it, the resulting highlights in her hair—clearly the mark of the AllSpark—even the cyberglyph birthmark bared over her heart! How in Primus' name could I have missed them all?"
There was a heavy silence as everyone exchanged baffled glances before looking at the Autobot commander again. "What does that mean, exactly?" Clara asked what everyone was thinking.
Sighing heavily, Optimus massaged his forehead. How was he going to explain this? "Essentially it means that Artemis is now the living incarnation of the most powerful and ancient Cybertronian relic. What comes with that, I am uncertain, but whatever it is, it is—without a doubt—what Megatron hopes to acquire."
"But… how is that even possible, Prime?" Chromia inquired. "I mean, it sounds… nearly impossible."
"Optimus, the Cube was destroyed," Lennox explained, "and the only three remaining shards of it are now gone—two used to resurrect Megatron and the third disintegrated after Artemis came in contact with it."
"Yes, Major," Optimus conceded with a nod. "The Cube was destroyed—every last bit of it—but I believe we have all forgotten one crucial fact. While the Cube was destroyed, the AllSpark was not, because the AllSpark was the energy that resided within the Cube not the Cube itself. The Cube was merely a vessel for the energy and when that vessel was destroyed the AllSpark sought out another, as foretold by prophecy."
"The Living AllSpark," Ratchet suddenly marveled in a quiet voice. He, too, had heard the tale long ago, though he didn't know it as his commander did. "I always thought it was only a legend—a tale used by for stasis stories."
"It is very much real, Ratchet," Optimus assured his old friend. "And we are all right in the middle of it."
"Hmm," Ratchet hummed, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Well, that does explain why we and the Decepticons were all turned human. It stands to reason that if the AllSpark became human so would every other Cybertronian within vicinity of that blast."
"But, I don't understand," Shannon declared. "Artemis is only fifteen—a child. How on earth could she be this powerful ancient artifact. And she's human. Wouldn't she have to be… like you—Cybertronian?"
"Not necessarily," Ratchet replied. "We have discovered in the past that humans are quite capable of storing AllSpark energy within them. A young man we know for a brief period had some of its energy planted within him several years ago. Granted that was only a small portion of AllSpark energy and it only allowed him access to the coordinates of the Fallen's machine, but nevertheless."
"Shannon," Optimus said softly leaning forward and taking the woman's hands in his, "I know none of this makes sense to you, and believe me when I say that I wish this wasn't happening in the way it is." He sighed heavily before continuing. "But you have to understand that Artemis has been destined from birth for this. This is what she is—what she was always meant to be. She was marked by the Primes—chosen by their hands. There is nothing we can do to change that. This is your daughter; this is her world—the world and destiny she was created for."
Shannon was quiet for a long time, looking into the Prime's eyes, trying to find some sort of hint to tell her that this was a joke, a prank, that maybe she was on some practical joke type show, but she found no such gleam. That wasn't the case. This—Cybertronians, Autobots and Decepticons, her daughter being a powerful relic—was all real. Whether this would be a dream or a nightmare the woman had no idea, but so far it was turning out to be the most hellish nightmare. Slowly, Shannon nodded. "I believe you," she murmured. "As crazy and insane as all of this sounds—as crazy and insane as I sound for saying it—I believe you" Desperateness came to her eyes and tears welled up in them. "And if this truly is Artemis' destiny, I accept that I may have to be parted from her in the end." A sob escaped her before she could stop it. "But I don't want it to be this way, Optimus," she rasped. "I've lost one daughter already, I won't lose two of them." She squeezed the Prime's hands as hard as she could and fixed him with a firm glare despite the tears trickling down her cheeks. "Bring her back to me, if only so I can say good-bye to her. Bring her back to me."
Meeting and holding her gaze with a determined one of his own, Optimus drew his lips together in a firm line and made a single curt nod.
"One thing I still don't get," Ironhide cut in, "why would Megs take Artemis? He can't possibly expect that she'll join him right? I mean, he nearly killed her the first time they came face to face, so he'd be delusional to think she'd suddenly decided to get the Decepti-creep insignia tattooed on her arm."
"He could brainwash her," Ratchet pointed out.
'Hide snorted in an amused way and shook his head. "No," he stated with a chuckle. "Not possible. That girl is too stubborn and one-track minded to be brainwashed. Trust me, that ain't happenin'."
"It would do him no good to convert her anyway," Optimus claimed.
"What makes you say that?" Epps asked.
"Even though the AllSpark energy resides within her, Artemis is not quite yet the AllSpark," Prime explained.
Once again baffled looks. "You ain't makin' no sense, boss 'bot," Skids spoke for everyone.
"Yeah, can you talk in English or som'in'?" Mudflats backed up.
"The prophecy of the Living AllSpark states that once the AllSpark finds its new vessel it will mark her, but only when she has proved herself worthy of being the vessel will it open its power to her and merge with her completely."
"Meaning?" 'Bee signed.
"Meaning that Artemis must do something worthy of being the AllSpark before she has access to whatever abilities it has granted her with."
"And what might that be?" Jim questioned.
Optimus shook his head. "I am afraid I do not know. But whatever it may be, evidently she has yet to accomplish it, for I do not recall anything unusual about Artemis before I left." The Autobot sighed and hung his head in shame. "Perhaps I should have looked more closely. Powers or not, I'm sure I could have seen something to help me realize that Artemis was the AllSpark. Then maybe none of this would be happening."
"Okay, so Artemis is this AllSpark but she isn't," Clara summed up. "So if she doesn't have any special powers or abilities yet, why does this Megatron character want her? What use is she to him if she can't be used as a weapon?"
"My guess is that Megatron is going to try to draw the power out of her," Optimus said.
"But how?" Ratchet asked.
"Her blood!" Bryce suddenly piped up, his face brightening with horrible realization. "The power of the AllSpark—it's in her blood!"
"But that still don't explain how he could draw the power outta her, kid," 'Hide pointed out. "Even if the AllSpark energy is swirlin' around in her blood, Megatron has no way of getting it to open its power to him."
"He doesn't have to," Bryce stated, going off on an intellectual tangent here.
"What makes you say that, son?" Lennox inquired.
"Because once Artemis' blood is free of her body the power of the AllSpark is… how do I wanna say it?—unlocked. That's how the memory transfers happen! Right before she kissed me Artemis had split her lip and was bleeding. Well when she kissed me I tasted some of her blood and that's when the memory transfer happened. It was the AllSpark energy!"
"But, Bryce," Optimus cut in, "I tasted none of Artemis' blood when the memory transfer between us happened. And when yours occurred all that happened to you was the memory transfer itself. You simply saw memories and visions of the AllSpark's past, but you were not granted powers or abilities."
"Well, aren't you directly connected to the AllSpark or something?" Bryce questioned. "If you've got a connection to it like that, you probably didn't have to taste Artemis' blood. And besides, it was different for you because it was your memories that she was seeing not the AllSpark memories that you were seeing. The transfer was reversed. And as for me not having any powers or anything, well that's probably because it wasn't enough blood to make it happen," the teen explained. "It was only a little bit—just enough to make the transfer happened. But if Megatron takes enough of Artemis' blood then he can have access to the entire AllSpark itself."
"And there'll be no stopping him," Chromia finished, voice at a soft fearful murmur.
"With that much power he could turn himself and the 'cons all Cybertronian again!" Ironhide exclaimed.
"Not to mention take over the whole damn world," Skids said.
"Try universe," Sides corrected.
"Son of a bitch!" Mudflaps quietly exclaimed.
"So that's his plan then," Optimus murmured thoughtfully, his stomach twisting into one big knot. "Megatron is going to bleed Artemis and transfer her blood and power over into himself."
"But where would he take her?" Clara questioned.
Lennox answered, "The one place he would want to destroy first when he had all that power surging through him."
"The one place that held him hostage and made him feel helpless for a long time," Epps added with a confirming nod.
"The Hoover Dam," Optimus whispered.
Hoover Dam;
I groaned. My head felt heavy and foggy and sleep kept trying to pull me back under but my consciousness kept slipping away from it, coming into the waking world. I found myself unable to think straight. What happened? Where was I? Why did I feel like this? I'd had this really weird Megatron that Megatron and caught me and sedated me—was it really a dream? Or had that actually happened? Slowly I opened my eyes and blinked awake, trying to take in my surroundings. At first I was blinded by a brilliantly bright light, but as my eyes adjusted, I could see where I was. I was in some sort of… metal room. There was markings on the wall that looked like claws or razors had at one time made them: a set of three slashes made up a mark. What, had Wolverine been contained in here at one time? I was lying on the floor, looking up at the ceiling, but even from my current position I could tell the room was very small, and I started to feel a bit claustrophobic. The claustrophobia is what caused me to finally rise from my prone position and slowly get to my feet.
I was still very groggy and swayed and stumbled as I tried to find my balance. Eventually I fell back against the wall and propped myself up in the corner, putting a hand over my eyes. Fuck! Now I had a throbbing migrane! Sucking in a sharp breath, I massaged my eyes, hoping that would do the trick and relieve it but it didn't. So, sucking it up, I opened my eyes again and tried to tough it out. Because the light only seemed to make my head ache worse, I kept my vision locked downward on the floor. I looked myself over. I was no longer wearing what I had changed into this morning (at least I thought it was this morning—who knew how long I was out?); now, instead of my fatigues and tanktop, I was in an ensemble made up of slacks, a longsleeved t-shirt, and canvas slip-on shoes all pristine and white as snow. My long hair that had gotten dirty from rolling around in the dirty and leaves and grass was now clean and brushed to a shine, hanging loose down to my waist. And what's more, I had been doctored. My broken arm was set, splinted, casted, and once again done up in a sling and all of my cuts, scrapes and bruises I'd received early from scuffling with Savannah, running through the forest, and being in a car crash were taken care of as well. Damn! Whoever had brought me here had sure gone out of their way to make sure I was well looked after! But the question remained: where was I?
All at once there was a loud banging clank that caused me to jump and a door opened up in the wall across from me. A tall figure stepped in. I saw who it was and all at once I was enveloped by both fear and anger. Megatron! "What do you want with me?" I demanded, somehow able to make my voice sound strong and stern even as I cowered further into my corner. I wanted to be as far away from this guy as I possibly could. "You can't keep me here!"
Megatron chuckled and sneered. "Oh, is that so?" he patronized me. "And tell me, child, just what are you going to do if I do?"
Twisting my face up into a snarl, I worked up all of my courage and lunged forward, fist at the ready. "Rraahh!" I swung but Megatron easily caught my wrist and twisted my arm around behind my back to pin it there. Not yet giving up, I kicked up a leg and spun around, planning on planting my foot somewhere on my captor's body, but he caught my ankle just as he'd caught my wrist and bent my leg sharply back until my ankle was touching my butt. I groaned. Just because my joints could bend that far doesn't mean they wanted to!
Chuckling, Megatron twisted one of his legs around the one of mine that was still on the floor, successfully trapping me. "My, you have learned quite a bit from Prime, haven't you, little one?" he rumbled in my ear. He tightened his hold on me.
I moaned and grimaced against the pain. "Why don't you just blow it out you're a-aah!" My arm and leg were jerked into a tighter pin. Damn! "I'm not a human pretzel ya know!"
Megatron laughed. "No," he agreed. "You most certainly are not." He leaned in closer to my ear and I could feel his hot breath scorching against my skin. I half-way expected it to reek, but it didn't. In a way I wish it could have, it would have helped to make him even more creepy and evil so that I could have hated him even more. Then again, maybe hating him even more wasn't possible. "I am going to release you now," he informed me, voice barely above a whisper, his lips ghosting against my ear and causing me to try and shiver away from him. Too close. Too close! He was way too fucking close to me! "If I were you, I wouldn't try fighting or running or doing anything other than being a cooperative little girl. Otherwise you'll regret it." To emphasize his threat he pulled my arm and leg tighter. "Show a little appreciation to the man who made sure you were cared for when we arrived here."
Grimacing and whimpering as I bit my lip, I nodded. I was released to quickly and unexpectedly I fell to the floor in a heap. I glared up at Megatron and growled.
He simply gave me a passive look and turned away, exiting the room. "Starscream, Blackout, escort her," he ordered as he went through the door.
Two other 'cons entered the room and hauled me up to my feet before leading me out of the room after Megatron. We went out of the room and travelled down a short hall and came to another door that yet another 'con was standing guard beside. That 'con nodded at Megatron and opened the door for us, letting us pass. The room we entered was smaller than the one I had previously been in and seemed to almost be an office or viewing area, or at least had been at one time. It was also very dusty, so dusty that I actually sneezed from the dust our movement kicked up. On the back wall there was a display of pictures surrounding a plaque that read 'First Seven'. At least I think that's what it read. I wasn't really paying too much attention to it because my eyes were almost instantly drawn out to the view through the windows at the front of the room. Practically forgetting that I wasn't alone, I surged forward and stared wide-eyed out the window. My jaw dropped. This place—that room out there… it was so familiar. Expansive with a set of several fans on the ceiling, catwalks around on the walls and skid-steers scattered down on the floor. It was empty and dusty but it was familiar; I'd seen this place before. "I know this place," I quietly marveled. "I've been here before. I-I… I mean I feel like I've been here before… no. No, I have been here before—I know it!" This was so confusing. How could I know this place—how could I have been here and seen it before when I knew for a fact that I had never been in any place like this. But I had been here—I knew I had! It wasn't just a hunch or déjà vu it was a fact that I had been in this place before… but how?
"Can you tell me where we are, Artemis?" Megatron questioned.
"Of course," I murmured, not looking away from the room. "Inside the Hoover Dam." I caught myself and stopped trying to process why I knew that. How did I know that? I knew I wasn't awake when they brought me in here and I knew that I'd never even driven over the Hoover Dam let alone been inside of it. I turned and looked over at Megatron. "But… h-how do I know that?"
"Because you have been here before," Megatron stated.
I gave him a look. Okay, this was starting to get really freaky now! "Wh-what?"
"Or," Megatron corrected himself as we walked over to stand beside me, "at least a part of you has."
I raised an eyebrow. ""A part of me"?" I questioned with a small laugh. "Wha-what the hell does that even mean?"
Megatron chuckled. "Everything, Artemis," he replied. He turned to look out the window and snorted incredulously as a grin claimed his face. "I still can't believe that Optimus was too short-sighted to see it when it is so very obvious. Then again, he always has been something of an imbecile."
I prickled and growled dangerously, aiming a dark glare at the man beside. How dare he insult Prime! "Do not talk about him like that!" I seethed through clenched teeth.
"Do not grow angry with me, girl," Megatron warned me with a casual, unthreatened glance in my direction, "I only speak the truth."
"Ironic, since you're a Decepticon," I spat back.
"I am merely saying it as I see it," the warlord further explained, turning to face me once again. "I mean, honestly, child: the hair;" he reached out smooth a hand over my head, but it wasn't in the comforting, caring way Optimus always did so, "the fact that you no longer needed glasses after you touched the shard; the shard turning to dust after your encounter; for Primus' sake even the cyberglyph on your chest! They are all very clear indicators. I honestly have no idea how he could not have seen them; they were all but hitting him in the face."
Okay, I hadn't understood a lick of what was going on before now and this wasn't helping to clear it up at all. What the hell was this dude talking about? Holding up my hands to stop him I chuckled nervously and shook my head. "Whoa, whoa, whoa there, big boy," I said. "Back the truck up now. Clear indicators? Clear indicators of what?"
Megatron gave me a dead serious look. "Clear indicators of your existence as the Living AllSpark."
I stared at him and cocked my head, even more stumped now than I had been before. "The living what now?" I inquired.
Megatron chuckled and shook his head. "I should have known Prime never told you about it. The moron probably completely forgot about the prophecy."
"Prophecy?"
"Since the beginning of time there has always been a continuous struggle for power between the two forces of good and evil. On Cybertron, there was only one object that could truly tip the balance between good and evil. This was the AllSpark. But in a battle between these two forces, it was destroyed; its knowledge and power thought to have been lost forever. The battle between good and evil continues.
"However, though it has been destroyed, the Cube's knowledge and power still endures. A single shard of the AllSpark remains, and within it, all that had been the Cube. It lies in waiting, ever watchful as it seeks for a host who is capable of hosting its knowledge and power. One who has been chosen by the Primes.
"And then, as surely as it is prophesied, there will come a day when the Cube shall find the chosen one. This host shall be found in the form of a young girl. A lost daughter. A mere child reborn through fire and baring the mark of the Primes. She is a diamond in the rough. The Cube shall choose her and mark her, and, once she has proven herself truly worthy, will open its power and knowledge to her, so that she shall become the Living AllSpark. She is a true treasure and both sides seek her out to tip the balance between good and evil in the perpetual war."
When Megatron had finally finished reciting the prophecy I could do nothing but stand and stare in total shock and disbelief, and, in all honesty, it was amazing I didn't that and didn't just pass out. I was struck dumb. "The Cube shall find the chosen one," I murmured, trying to process it all. "This host shall be found in… form of young girl. Choose and mark her… once she's proven herself worthy will open power and knowledge to her… the Living AllSpark." I shook my head as I came out of the daze, finally realizing what Megatron was insinuating. "Me?" I asked in astonishment, putting a hand on my chest. "You think… I'm this chosen one?"
Megatron shook his head slowly. "No, Artemis," he corrected me, "I don't think you're the chosen one," he leaned down until he was at my level and looked deep into my hazel-green eyes with his blood red ones, "I know you are."
I probably should have laughed in his face, called him crazy, and dismissed it all, and I would have done that had I been able to, but I wasn't. Not because I was afraid of what he would do to me, but because at that very moment I knew. I knew he was right. I had absolutely no idea how I knew he was right but I did. After all, it certainly did explain a lot of things, like the fact how I knew where I currently was and had seen this place before even though I really had no actual waking memory of it for instance. I drew my lines into a firm line and took a deep breath. "What do you want?" I was barely able to voice the question.
Megatron smirked and pulled back from me, turning away and walking across the room. "I think you already know the answer to that question," he stated.
I clenched my good hand into a fist and swallowed hard. Yes. I did know the answer; I did know what Megatron wanted… but he would never get it. Not if I had anything to say about it! "I'll never join you," I declared with as much strength and confidence as I could, though in my own ears I sounded like a frightened and whimpering pup. "You're too late, Megatron, I'm an Autobot sympathizer through and through and there is nothing you can do to make me switch sides!"
"Switch sides?" Megatron replied, turning to face me once again. "No, no, no, no, my dear, I think you misunderstand me."
"You want power, right?" I inquired. "AllSpark power—my power?"
"Yes, I do."
"Well, you're not getting it because I'm not turning 'con!"
Megatron sneered evilly and chuckled. "Oh, child," he sighed, "you make it sound as if I need you in order to have your power."
I gave him a puzzled look. "Well, you do," I stated, but it sounded more like a question. "I mean, the AllSpark power is inside of me now, right? I mean, how can you get it if I'm not the one controlling…." And that's when I remembered what Megatron had told me before I'd passed out from the sedative: "Your blood must be fresh." "My blood," I whispered, more to myself than to anyone else. Megatron's smirk grew into a demented sneer at he saw that I now caught on to his meaning. I gulped and looked at him. "You want my blood," my voice quivered more than I wanted it to.
"She finally understands," was the 'con's answer.
Pulling my good arm behind my back, I backed away until my back met the wall on the other side of the room. I shook my head. "No," I declared softly. "No, no, no. You're not having my blood—you're not getting it!"
Megatron took a step forward. "You actually believe you can stop me?" he challenged. He began stalking towards me.
I frantically tried to think up a plan, trying to decide if there was some way I could get out of this. I couldn't let Megatron have my blood. I couldn't! But he was right. How the fuck could I possibly stop him from taking it if that was what he wanted? It would be nothing for him to restrain me and stick my vein with a needle. Hell, if he wanted to, he could probably just grab me, slit my wrists and bleed me out into a bowl if he wanted to, not even using a needle, tube, and bag! This was Megatron—the fucking leader of the Decepticon affiliation; he was just as powerful as Optimus if not more so. He could do whatever he hell he liked!
Without warning, Megatron stopped coming towards me and seemed to back off. "However," he said, "I have no desire of fighting you for your blood. To do so would be precious time and energy wasted for me. I would much rather prefer if you accepted my terms and came along peacefully."
I snorted. "Fat chance, pal." Why did he even suggest such a thing? "Not in this lifetime."
Megatron chuckled with a calm smile and shook his head. "I had a feeling you would say that," he responded, "so I took some precautionary measures to ensure that you would change your mind." He turned and nodded to one of the 'cons standing in the room with us. "Starscream."
Starscream nodded, shot me a sneer as he snickered, and opened the door. "Bring her in," he ordered. He came back inside, shooting another triumphant smirk my way.
I raised an eyebrow and returned his look with a suspicious one of my own. What exactly did they have on me? Or think they have on me anyway. A minute later my question as answered as two more 'cons came into the room, dragging a bound and gagged Savannah, who was struggling and screaming for all she was worth, into the room.
My eyes widened as I suddenly understood what game Megatron was playing. No! No, no, no, no this couldn't be happening—no!
The 'cons dragged Savannah over until they had her just behind Megatron and then shoved her down to a kneeling position on the floor.
"Savannah!" I exclaimed. The girl looked up at me with beseeching, bloodshot eyes, tears streaming down her already tearstained cheeks. Not once in the time I had known her had I ever felt anything but hatred and maybe some jealousy towards this girl—we were practically bitter enemies—but now, as I saw her there like that, completely helpless and terrified, my heart went out to her. I'd dragged her into this. Unintentionally yes, but I'd dragged her in all the same. She was here because of me. She was like this because of me. That wasn't right.
My eyes left Savannah's and went up to Megatron and I shook my head as firmly as I could, pressing my lips into a line. "Don't hurt her, Megatron," I said. "I am the one you want, not her. Please, I beg of you, don't hurt her."
Megatron gave me a shocked and innocent look. "Hurt a human child?" he gasped. "I would never dream of such a thing." His face twisted into an evil sneer once again and he pulled out a gun and aimed it at Savannah who screamed and tried to get up and escape. She was shoved to her knees again and held down by the 'cons who'd brought her in. "But killing a human child," Megatron added. "Now, that's an entirely different story."
"You want me," I stated adamantly, stepping away from the wall and putting a hand on my chest, offering myself up, "not her. She's an innocent bystander in all of this, Megatron, she can't hurt you and has nothing you want. I'm the one with the AllSpark power—I'm the one who can give you what you want." All at once all of my courage and determination swelled up and I declared, "I won't let you kill her." The entire time I was talking, trying to persuade the Decepticon warlord to let her go, I could feel Savannah's eyes on me, staring at me in total awe and disbelief and I knew exactly what she was thinking: "Why are you helping me?" In all honesty, I was kind of asking myself the same thing. Ever since we'd first met Savannah had been nothing but a complete bitch to me and had done nothing but humiliate and piss me off. So why the hell was I doing this? I didn't really know why I was doing this—maybe Prime and his code of honor had rubbed off on me more than I thought—but for whatever reason I was doing this I knew one thing for sure: Savannah had to be saved.
"You believe you can stop me?" Megatron challenged.
I remained silent, unable to answer but not really needing to. Of course I couldn't stop him from killing Savannah if he wanted to! What the hell had I been thinking? But I still needed to get Savannah out of harm's way; I needed to get that gun off her!
"Tell you what, Artemis," Megatron suddenly said, "I will make you a deal. You agree to give me your blood and I will neither harm nor kill your friend, but don't submit or try to escape and I put a bullet between her eyes right now." He cocked the gun and got ready to pull the trigger.
Pressing my lips into a line, my eyes darted back and forth between Megatron and Savannah as my mind raced. Either let Savannah—an innocent—die for me or hand over ultimate power to a power-crazy warlord who would do God only knew what to the rest of the planet and its inhabitants—most of whom were innocents as well: how was I supposed to decide? It didn't seem right either way. But then I realized that no matter how I chose both Savannah and the world were doomed, because either way Megatron was going to get my blood. At least one decision would make Megatron happy, and if he was happy maybe the rest of the world wouldn't suffer so soon.
"Well?" Megatron questioned. "I'm waiting."
Sighing heavily I closed my eyes and hung my head, knowing I was beaten, not that I'd ever had a chance to not be so. "All right," I conceded glumly. "I will give you my blood." Raising my head I fixed the Decepticon lord with a glare. "Just let her go."
Megatron chuckled and nodded his head. "Smart girl," he complemented me. Uncocking the gun, he took it off Savannah and slipped it back into its holster then motioned to her. "Take her out of here," he ordered.
The two 'cons that had brought Savannah in here quickly picked her back up and dragged her back out of the room. I watched after them as they left, my eyes locked with Savannah's seeing both thankfulness and confusion in them. She was still wondering why I did this, why I sacrificed myself to save her. I was still right there with her. Hearing Megatron's snicker, I turned back to face him and fix him with a glare. If he thought I was going to be happy about this situation he had a whole other thing comin'!
"Oh, now, Artemis," he crooned mockingly once he saw my glare, "don't look at me like that, child. You should be proud!"
"Proud?" I growled. "Of what? Dooming the whole world?"
Smiling, Megatron shook his head and came over to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and trapping me to his side. He then turned me to look out the windows again. "No," he said. "Proud that you will be behind the Decepticons' victory." He turned to face me again as he turned me to face him and put a hand beneath my chin, lifting my head so I could meet his gaze. The 'con gave me a demented, evil, twisted grin. "And very possibly, the restoration of Cybertron."
Unable to pull my head away from his grasp I continued to stare into Megatron's eyes, keeping my angry and hateful mask plastered onto my face even while inside I was quaking with fear. This wasn't good. This really wasn't good! What had I done?