Chapter 37: More Than Meets The Eye, Part 2
In the surrounding forest, the Decepticon known as Soundwave lay in wait. His minion Laserbeak had found his faction's ship (or what was left of it), and now all he had to do was deal with the humans that had found it.
"Ravage: eject. Operation: destroy human intruders."
His chest popped open and a minicassette ejected from it, transforming into the infamous Decepticon hunter/tracker.
"Go."
Back at the spire, a looming sense of dread came over the Earth Corps. Somehow, they knew something was watching them. And that something was coming through the forest at a decent clip, ready to pounce.
"We got something heading our way on the motion tracker." Bombardier announced.
"Distance?" Liquidator asked.
"50 meters and closing fast."
The blip grew closer.
"30 meters. 20 meters. 10 meters. 5-"
At that moment, a robotic panther jumped out of the forest.
"The hell is that thing?" Bombardier asked.
"I don't know and I don't want to find out. Everyone- back to the Trappeur!" Herc ordered.
The six ran back to the vehicle, with Auger closing the passenger compartment door behind him.
"Punch it, Herc!" he yelled.
A scraping noise was heard as metal claws dug into the Trappeur's body, even as the vehicle roared down a makeshift road formed by a firebreak.
"That thing's still clinging to us!" Sandra exclaimed.
The passenger compartment door began to pry open, and the robotic panther shoved its head into the compartment. Its cold and steely gaze was directed at Sandra, who had frozen like a deer in the headlights.
"Get away from her!" Liquidator growled.
The thing continued to wrench the door open, snarling as it did so. Liquidator reached up, grabbed a prybar from one of the overhead compartments, and rushed toward the intruder.
"Hey, you!"
Ravage's gaze turned to Liquidator.
"This is my clue stick!"
Five pounds of reinforced steel collided with Ravage's head, loosing him from the Trappeur's body.
Ravage, report.
Humans have escaped despite my best efforts. One of them attacked me with a blunt object.
Are you hurt?
Not severely.
Return to me, Ravage. I will deal with the humans personally.
AN HOUR LATER:
"Stop the Trappeur!" Bombardier exclaimed.
Herc pressed down the brake pedal.
"What is it?" he asked as he walked out of the driver's cab.
Out of the partially opened passenger compartment door, Herc saw a small blue tape player lying by the side of the road.
"That's what you had me stop for? Something that's probably only worth a couple bucks?"
Bombardier had already leapt out of the vehicle and was approaching the tape player. As he leaned in to grab it, it suddenly transformed into the Decepticon known as Soundwave.
"Oh hell." Bombardier mouthed.