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.
"Be on your guard, Bulkhead," Optimus called after the already-gone form of the green bot, who was charging through the bridge. "Rafael," he turned to the boy as he set me down on the catwalk beside him. "Lock onto the remaining coordinates. I will embark for the Antarctic."
"Awe,..." I sagged.
"As for you, old friend," he spoke to Ratchet gently. "I would prefer that you have company on your mission."
"No one is left to join me," Ratchet pointed out. "Unless you were thinking of sending Cara with me."
"I was considering the only remaining autobot alternative on this planet."
Realization hit. "But - you can't be serious!" Optimus' faceplates never moved. "Wheeljack is insubordinate, a ruffian! Besides, he's...Bulkhead's partner!"
"Your expertise is scientific," I pointed out. "And Wheeljack is more…. Prone to blow stuff up,"
"Precisely why I disagree with this arrangement!"
"What I mean is.." Optimus shot me a disapproving look, which I waved off. "Wheeljack is a highly capable warrior. You would be wise to welcome the temporary alliance."
The doc groaned, grabbing his nose and shaking his head.
Optimus turned to me. "Be safe," I called to him as he blew me a kiss, and turned to walk through the open ground bridge.
"Cara to Optimus Prime," I called over an open comm. "Do you read me?"
"Are those sleigh bells I hear, or is this my spark speaking to me?"
I giggled, my face warming as I melted at his sweet words. "Where did you learn that from?"
"Google," I laughed as Raf flashed me his computer screen, showing Optimus' signal walking tall and proud.
"Search the area!" I heard a commanding voice - that wasn't Optimus - order.
"Ooh, whatcha got there baby?" I asked, zooming the screen out to observe the coordinates not far from Optimus' location. Studying the geographical set up, I could see that Optimus was observing the relic from above, with decepticon life signals surrounding it.
"Four vehicons, Dreadwing and Starscream," he reported to me.
"Be safe my love," I ordered, flipping back to Manhattan.
A massive explosion echoed through Optimus' open comm the next moment drawing my attention to it. "Optimus, baby," I called. "Are you alright?"
"Never...better," he called, his voice strained. Another crash followed through shortly after, however no where near the volume of the previous one. Next, a pained grunt as metal collided with metal, and the two signals battling on Raf's screen 'fell' off of a cliff. After the crash, Optimus' signal was right back up, but not after long was knocked down again.
"Optimus I swear to the gods -"
"Your aim is poor,"
"That is a matter of perspective, Dreadwing," my bot rumbled as the rattling of rocks was faintly heard.
"Cara, avalanche!" Raf warned, highlighting the geographical pull.
"Optimus, get your ass out of there!"
Blaster fire echoed after the rumblings was over, Optimus returning fire, his signal still moving properly.
"What a team we make!" A familiar voice called out, and I could just see the sneer. "I am so glad that you prevailed, Optimus Prime! That wretch Dreadwing was going to terminate me. Now, if you could just release me of my bonds, I can lead you straight to the relic,"
Blaster fire onlined. "You will lead me there regardless."
I shivered at his icey tone, before smiling and realizing that he was okay. "You got it straight, boss?"
"Yes ma'am," he called to me.
"Carabelle,"
"Oooh, he's using his leader voice. That means that someone's within earshot that he doesn't want to hear speak to me like he's supposed to," I jokingly spewed that last part, earning a giggle from the younger kid sitting next to me.
"Forgive me, my spark," Optimus chuckled next. "I temporarily forgot. It shall not happen again, ma'am."
"It better not," I laughed openly. "But really though, what do you need?"
"Has Agent Fowler regained consciousness?"
"I'm here, Prime," Fowler called over my shoulder, the man having awakened a few minutes before. "What's your situation?"
"I require access to a research facility at my current location," I nodded to Raf, who expanded the search and located the research facility in which he spoke of.
"Let me make a call."
"Are we really going to wait out here in the freezing cold, completely at the mercy of human bureaucracy?"
"Oh, that's a big word, Screamer," I laughed through the comm, hoping Optimus had it loud enough for him to hear. "Sit down before you hurt yourself."
"Cara…." Optimus voiced me a warning.
"Awe, come on. You love me." Fowler hung up his phone, nodding to me. "You should be all clear, Optimus. Be safe love."
Optimus' comm blinked open. I sensed his distress, and looking at his signal, I saw a familiar decepticon signal wrapped around him. If he were to knock his comm open, he would have to have his arms wrapped around his head… which means…
"Optimus, are you alright?"
An explosion echoed through, piercing my heart with fear. "Fine," he groaned through after it quieted, my spark relaxing at his words.
"You're lying…" I cried out, preparing to activate the ground bridge.
"I love you,"
"Fucking hell!" I cried, just as another explosion rattled behind him.
"The Apex Armor…" he mumbled.
"Optimus, I'm coming through."
"No…" he demanded weakly. "It's too cold."
"I don't care!"
I paid more attention to the sound of Optimus' pistons hauling him to his pedes than the conversation between the two cons. "I am fine, Carabelle," he assured me.
A massive clash of metal on metal paused me. I watched as Optimus engaged an invisible battle, it's signal blocked from mine. Another clash of metal, my bot groaning in pain. "And you, Optimus Prime," Starscream's voice flowed through. "I will beat the living spark out of you just so I never again have to endure your pontificating!" Optimus' signal flew through the air, landing a great deal away from his previous location.
"What could be throwing him like that?..." I wondered, looking to Raf.
"If you do a search on Apex Armor," he reported, typing at his computer. "You get results involving video games. There are many mentions of it simply being armor you dress yourself with and it makes you invincible."
Laser fire followed, the decepticon signal attacking the same masked threat, before it too, landed next to Optimus. "Listen you two," I called through the comm. "You aren't going to like this, but if you both wish to walk away from this you'll have to work together on this one."
"She's right," Dreadwing reported. "I will draw his fire." the sound of jet engines followed.
"Might beats flight," Starscream tore through.
Optimus' signal flew backwards and onto the ground again, before halting.
"It shall be you who will join the Allspark on this night," Dreadwing called. An explosion followed, Optimus observing it hopefully.
Wait, how'd I know that?
Starscream's maniacal laughter filled the comm. "That tickled! Fools! Not only am I intelligent, I am invincible!" he shouted into the empty sky.
"Yet you cannot fly,"
"Nobody's perfect," Starscream responded, footsteps suggesting he was approaching my bot. "Now, tell me of the other three relics," A clash of metal followed the statement, Optimus' signal moving away.
"They were hidden away precisely to keep them from the hands of those like you," A slew of clashes, and only Optimus' advancing form suggested that he was doing something other than getting beat.
"He is far too powerful, Prime!" Dreadwing called, puzzling me. "Fall back!"
The roar of Optimus' engine only puzzled me more. "You two are up to something…" Starscream observed.
A massive explosion sent me flying for the volume control, automatically turning it down as much as I could. Raf covered his ears, shooting me a pleading glance as it squealed the mics. "Optimus?..."
"I am fine, my spark," I could almost hear his smile. I sighed in relief, relaxing back into my chair.
"Cara, look!" Raf called to me.
I know, it's getting confusing. … But it'll be great, I promise all of you c: