Hey guys!
So the next few episodes collide and mash together weirdly, to where it's hard to not include too much of one episode into another. So, what I'm going to do is leave the bridging back home out of all of them except for Bulkhead's, because...of what happens :P
Another thing to point out, I am slowly bringing Cara into a bot mode, however it's going to be stretched. … thoroughly stretched. But, the idea with her running this command-center-control thing, is that she's developing a processor instead of a brain, where she can multitask easier, and track conversations swiftly.
So if it gets confusing, just bear with me as I finish writing the others. It'll all come together at the end. However, if you are confused, just let me know.
-Lizzzard
"Optics?" I asked in full curiosity.
"It would seem that the energon in your system is taking a greater affect on your biology than we anticipated." Ratchet puzzled, shining the light directly into my .. optics.
"What does that mean?" I asked him, shielding myself from the light.
"It means that you are no longer going to receive an energon line," Optimus commanded, straightening himself.
"Optimus," Ratchet reasoned, turning his attention away from me. "I understand your desire to shield Cara from this discovery, however I do not believe that halting the energon flow is a wise idea. Her spark will deplete, and if her body is becoming dependent as it appears, she may perrish."
I swallowed the lump in my throat, turning to Optimus slowly. "Sweetheart," I called, laying a hand on his cheek. "It's alright."
"You're losing your humanity…" he protested, turning to me. "It is not alright."
"We'll figure it out later," I told him, kissing his cheek. "We have more important matters."
He sighed deeply, before closing his optics. He turned towards the other bots, optics opening. "If we are to have any hope of recovering the Iaacon relics before the decepticons do, we must divide our resources."
"But Optimus," Ratchet pleaded again. "When it comes to numbers we are already at a grave disadvantage."
"Given the present threat, beating the cons to the relics is our best hope," I pointed out to him.
"This is one race we absolutely cannot afford to lose," Optimus rumbled in his deep baritone, the one that made my knees weak.
"Here's a twist," the doc called, turning back to the screen. "It would appear that the decepticons have retreated from Manhattan."
"They just….up and left?" Arcee pondered.
"They must've disengaged a crew to search for this relic, as they move to the next, as we are," I said, turning to Optimus for confirmation.
"Without busting up a city block to get to it?"
"There are other means of transportation in major cities," I called out.
"Subway tunnels," Jack confirmed with me. "New York has a hole network of them running beneath the city."
"Since the human population no longer seems to be directly threatened, maintaining our disguise will be necessary." Optimus ordered, turning to the bots. "Arcee, Bumblebee, you are the best choices to navigate through such a densely populated area."
"Optimus," Jack called hesitantly. "New York has more than eight million people. The odds of being spotted by at least one of them are pretty high, even if they are headed underground."
"Where are you going with this?" Arcee asked him.
"He's implying the use of the kids to help encourage the disguises even more."
"Someone who can speak on their behalf," Jack quickly interjected after observing the stern look on Optimus' face. "A human who can run interference if their cover gets blown."
"Agent Fowler's field experience makes him our best candidate," he turned to the catwalk, where the man lay in a medical bed.
"Banana fish!" he suddenly shouted, raising a limp arm into the air.
"I don't think that's happening big guy," I patted his faceplates softly. "Jack and Miko are the best options. JAck makes clear, precise decisions after carefully calculating all of the risks involved. Miko lives in Tokyo, where the situation is somewhat similar."
Miko beamed, Jack straightening with pride as Optimus nodded. "Very well.." he said reluctantly, looking at the kids with worry. "Jack and Miko will accompany Arcee and Bumblebee."
"Yes!" Miko cheered, almost punching JAck with her shout of victory. I laughed softly as the two scattered for the two bots.
"Initiate transport, and triangulate coordinates of the other three relics." Optimus ordered Ratchet, who turned to do so.
"I'm not going out, am I?" I asked him gently.
"Why do you say that?"
"I am of best use here. I can manage the ground bridge and such. If you are to seperate the forces, I assume you'll be sending Ratchet out."
He nodded, leaning over the rails. "Ratchet, Cara will be monitoring communications and providing an assist if there is a call for one."
The doc nodded, before activating the ground bridge for the bots and kids.
"Jack, do you copy?" I called into the comm I had open.
"Loud and clear," the respond came.
"Great. I'm going to keep a comm open so I can be updated on your process. If you need anything, holler for me."
"Got it,"
I smiled at my little set up. Raf sat beside me, operating on his computer as I did my own. I had a comm link open for each crew that was out, following their process the best I could. My main focus was on the kids, as they were the most vulnerable at the moment.
"Of course it's no Cybertron," I heard Miko mock Jack, before the rumble of Bumblebee's engine took over the link.
"Raf," I called out. "Do you have a fix on their location?"
"Affirmative," he called, turning the screen to face me. Two signals departed from each other, stretching along the streets of the largest city I've ever seen.
"Check it out!" I heard Miko haller. "Construction,"
"There's always fucking construction in the damn city," I grumbled, turning to monitor the other comms before turning back to them.
The signals traveled underground, slowly beginning their descent towards the coordinates.
"Bumblebee don't move!" my eyes darted to the bot's signal, still going strong despite the scare that apparently happened. "The third rail." Oh. "It carries electricity to power the trains."
"One touch and Zap!" Miko demonstrated. "You're fried."
Bumblebee buzzed in what I thought was a thanks. It sounded like he was saying actual words, but I wasn't very sure…
As they neared the coordinates, I had Raf zoom out, allowing the coordinates to be visible on the screen. "Guys," I called to them. "You've got enemy signals surrounding the coordinates. Please, for the love of all things holy, be careful."
"You know it boss!"
I froze, this was a new voice. It sounded young, someone about my age, and fierce. "Who's that?..." I asked worriedly, looking at the comm link to assure that there were no one else was connected to it.
"That was Bee," Raf smiled at me. "He said -"
"'You know it boss,'" I finished, raising an eyebrow at him.
Raf nodded, turning back to the screen, before he did a double take. "You understood him?"
"You know what I'm saying?"
"Yeah, it's like. … it's weird. I recognize that you're speaking a different language, but it's registering in my brain as english,"
"Awesome! Now there's so much we can talk about! About racing, mudding, Optimus-"
"Bumblebee, focus," I laughed at him. "We have a mission, remember?"
"Oh….right."
A few minutes of silence, until Arcee's voice came over the comm. "Drilling,"
"And it's coming from this way!" Miko cheered. I groaned as Jack called after her.
"Miko -at -'re thi-ng?"
"Uh, guys, I'm losing your comm signal." Silence from the other end. "Arcee? Bumblebee?" Silence again. I turned to Raf frantically. "Are their signals still up?"
"Strong as ever," he replied , flipping the screen to me.
"Okay. They're underground, so whatever it is that they're doing, it must be an interference with the tunnels" I paused, watching as the signals advanced.
"Cara, look," Raf called to me. I looked over my shoulder at the screen Raf gave me, highlighting Bee and Arcee's signals. They were mixed in with the red signals.
"They're engaging in a battle over the relic," I assumed. "If they need our help, they won't be able to call for backup,..."
"But...we'll be able to tell if they're overpowered, right?" he asked me worriedly.
"I sure hope so…."
I watched as Arcee's signal raced through three of the cons,' my chest swelling with pride. Until a larger signal threw a swipe, sending hers to the side. Bumblebee's was facing off with a much larger one, Bee never letting it get close to him. Suddenly, the signal faded slightly, before dropping to half its strength.
"Bee!" Raf called out instantly.
"It's okay…" I assured him. "He's just knocked out. He'll be fine…" I sent up a silent prayer to whoever the hell was up there that I was right. Arcee's suddenly dropped even lower than that as soon as I opened my eyes - optics! - again. "The fuck…" Bee's signal was slowly being dragged towards Arcee, before it was immediately atop of hers. "What is going on…" I looked down at Raf, who's face was pale as he was looking at the screen. "Look," I pointed. "Their signals are slowly increasing. They'll be okay,"
Two red signals surrounded the bot's. "We may need to call for a backup…" Raf muttered to me. I nodded in agreement, about to reach for the comm to Ratchet, when the red signals were suddenly shoved to the side. One of them stretched out slowly, scraping dangerously close to the walls of the tunnel. "Look!" he cheered, pointing at the bot's signals as they reached 80%, moving and circling around the two red. Arcee's stayed behind with the large one while Bumblebee raced the other.
"-cee, -akes sho-"
"I have a comm connection!" I cheered, moving back in front of my screen. "Cara to Arcee, do you read?" Silence. "Cara to Bumblebee?"
"Kind of busy, Cara," he commed to me.
"Oh, thank the gods," I cheered, Raf smiling.
"Bumblebee!" I heard Miko cry out.
"What in the pits of Kaon was that?" he cried.
"Dude!"
"What's up, girl scout?" I heard the rumble of Arcee's engine over the other sounds. "Hey, Arcee! I got ran over by a train but not really because of this thing,"
"How did you not get mashed?" Miko asked.
"Because of this thing!"
"Phase shifter," Arcee translated for the others. "Handy when you need to pass through solid objects. Or vice versa."
"This thing is frekayy," Bee cheered, myself stifling a laugh.
"Is he always like this?" I asked Raf, who nodded.
"Nooo!" I heard a very angry voice holler as the single lonely decepticon signal remained. "You scratch my face, I scratch yours!" An engine roared next, fading in the distance.