Paya Luna: They left on bad terms, as-per the book. She is however still friends with Bee as the last chapter implied. But you'll learn more about it in later chapters. I'm trying to keep this as canon as possible, even with the use of OCs. :) Plus I'm a SamxCarly shipper, so I'd say Mikaela was more frustrated/flustered thinking of Sam in the last line of her scene last chapter.
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CHAPTER 50
Taking Ben had been easy, but Lazerbeak was quickly realizing keeping the organic still was difficult. Optimus Prime continued to pursue with Ironhide behind him, but Lazerbeak easily kept a perfect pace despite the damage to his wing. He carried Ben like a bird might carry a worm, tightening his grip every so often to assert the point that he was his prisoner, and most certainly, his Father and Optimus wouldn't find him in time. He made notice, rather quickly of a tree big enough to hold them both and glided quietly into the leaves of it. Dropping him onto one branch, Lazerbeak carefully and tightly placed one claw over Ben's mouth, pinning him down with the other.
Lazerbeak peered over the side of the branch carefully, watching and scanning. Optimus and Ironhide stopped not far off and transformed. He didn't bother listening in on what was being said, but made notice of the fact they pressed on. As Ben attempted to cry out, Lazerbeak had had enough. He slammed his head hard against the branch, rendering the captive conscious. Once he was certain the Autobots were a fair distance away, he took hold of Ben again and took off further into the air. He flew for several minutes before slowly descending, he dropped Ben, awakening the boy, who by now looked ready to wet himself.
Soundwave stood over him with a sly grin as Lazerbeak, back arched, kept his optics firmly on the boy. "You have something that belongs to us." Soundwave said coldly, he stepped forward a bit, the ground shook as he did so "Before you lie to me. I know from your Father that the prototype we worked on had been stolen." Ben stared up at Soundwave, he attempted to back up, but Lazerbeak's snarl caused him not to "Where is it fleshling? Tell me, and you'll go free. At one time we believed we needed you, however, all we really need is the prototype." He noted.
"I refuse to hand it over to you."
Soundwave turned his head and curtly nodded to Lazerbeak, who's tail lashed out a blade stuck out and pointed at his throat. Soundwave held out his palm, yet again, and watched Ben quietly. "THE PROTOTYPE." He said firmly, his singular, sideways diamond optic flashing "Our patience wears thin, human. Hand over the prototype, or die." He said, his voice cold and unfeeling as usual.
Ben trembled, sobbing quietly, he begged Ironhide to forgive him in the back of his mind. Carefully, he reached into his back pocket, producing a clear diamond, inside, blue energy rotated around. Lazerbeak shot up, and took hold of the prototype carefully before gliding it over to Soundwave's waiting palm. "Alright, you have what you want from me. Now, let me go." Ben told him, gulping a bit, he turned to make his escape as the large, brooding form of Rumble greeted him "W-We had a deal." He said, his body trembled in fear as Rumble took firm hold of his wrist.
"Did you honestly believe I'd keep my half of it?" Soundwave questioned, Lazerbeak chuckled a bit "You have a connection to the Autobots, and if you will not spy for them. The only logical answer, is to use you against them." He noted.
Ben understood full well what that meant, they were taking him as a hostage, insurance they wouldn't interfere with whatever they planned. Soundwave carefully transformed down into a Mercedes SLS AMG as Rumble grabbed firm hold of his other arm. Ben did the only thing he could, he thought hard, Ironhide had told him that if he was ever in real danger, all he ever had to do was send his thoughts out, and he'd hear him. "DAD!" His mind screamed out, Soundwave's door slid upward, opening.
But within a moment, Rumble was little more then a pile of spare parts. Soundwave transformed at once, moving to take hold of Ben himself, but he hadn't gotten within an inch of him before he was met with the barrel of a cannon. Ironhide glared at Soundwave, snarling quietly with a rage never before seen from the Weapons Specialist, by Autobot, Decepticon, or Human alike. "Go ahead Soundwave, lay a claw on him, I dare ye." He said, letting the cannon twist and whirr "Drop the prototype and step away from my son. Or so help me Primus, I'll blow your slagging head right off your shoulders." He noted.
"No."
Ironhide didn't have time to react as Soundwave drove the arm blade right into his chest plate, he barely missed his spark. Ben could only watch in horror as Ironhide went down, he rushed forward, and screamed out his name, but Soundwave had snatched him into his greedy claws before he could do much else. As Optimus quickly rushed forward, Soundwave placed the very blade he had struck Ironhide with to Ben's throat, stopping him in his tracks. "If I am followed, the child will perish." Soundwave told him simply, noting Optimus's rage, and intensity "You have been warned." He noted.
It was a rather dumb comment however, as a blast knocked him back causing him to drop Ben, who was immediately caught by Optimus. Soundwave crouched a bit, Ironhide's cannon sizzling in front of him as it rotated and whirred. "Over my offlined chassis, are you taking MY son." He snarled gently, standing up slowly, he glared hard "Take whatever you came for, I know I'm not getting that from you. But Ben is not going anywhere." He added.
Soundwave stared at Ben for a moment, then at Optimus, who, despite being unrelated to Ben covered him protectively. Soundwave noted the fact that whether or not he liked it, Ben was not going with him, it was illogical to fight them both at once. Besides, they had the only reason they needed Ben in the first place. "Very well, we have what we came for, take the child." He noted coldly "He is nothing more then a wasted piece of property." He stated as he transformed and took off.
Ben body shook violently, still a bit stunned, he felt Optimus cradle him gently. He knew he was safe, but he still could feel the fear of what had almost happened shoot up his spine. Optimus was gentle in passing the boy over to Ironhide, who took him carefully. Ironhide held him to his spark carefully, the beat soothed him carefully, the beat of his spark against his heart had an effect that normally ever happened with Sparklings. "You're safe son, relax yourself. I've got you." Ironhide stared up at Optimus slightly "What was that they got? Could you tell?" He questioned.
"No, but I fear it could be noting good."
Ironhide stared down at Ben, almost as if wondering if Ben even knew. The boy stared up at him, and shifted a bit. "I don't know, i-it was just something I took out of anger." Ben admitted, his voice quiet, Ironhide nodded, knowing Ben was being serious "I don't know what the Decepticons would even want with one of Dad's scientists inventions." He added quietly, shaking against Ironhide's body "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have given it to them either way, I know." He added.
"It's not your fault, you didn't have a choice." Ironhide told him calmly, rubbing his back with a finger gently "I'm just thankful yer safe and sound." He turned to Optimus quietly, and took a deep breath, he stared down at Ben "Never pull a stunt like you did ever again son. I almost lost you today." He told him carefully "Something I never again want to experience as long as I'm online." He told him gently.
Ben nodded his head slowly, and allowed Ironhide to hold him close. It was really the first time the boy realized just how much he truly meant to the mech. It was obvious that he meant everything to him, which stunned him quite a bit. Out of all the humans, he was the one that Ironhide had grown that close to. Ironhide hugged him carefully, but let up after a moment, and moved him onto his shoulder. "All I know about the prototype, is that Dad asked me for a formula for it... Like a year ago." Ben, who was slowly calming down, told them calmly "As a technological genius, I knew a little on the subject. But I don't remember what the formula was for." He told them, and shook his head a bit "I'm sorry."
"Don't be, we'll figure it out." Optimus stated firmly "Ironhide, you should get your son back home. I need to assist Bumblebee. Hopefully I will not be too late." He added.
Ironhide nodded at him calmly, allowing Optimus to transform and drive off. Ironhide could still feel his spark beating at a billion miles per hour. He had never felt himself so scared since he watched Chromia and her sisters undergo surgery, and offline in the process. Seeing Ben taken, and worse, when Soundwave had threatened his life had been the most frightening moment in his life next to that. Carefully, holding his chest wound, he turned his optics in Ben's direction. "Come on Ben, let's get back, we both need to be checked out." He added, knowing Ben was likely at least bruised and scraped up "Before Hatchet kills us." He noted.
Ben nodded slightly, leaning his head against Ironhide's shoulder plate. He felt exhausted, but at the same, he felt as though he was safer now then he had ever been. The Decepticons had what they wanted from him, Ryan was scared off. Though he knew that with the prototype in their hands, it could mean that hell was about to break loose at the same time. He stared up at Ironhide slowly, and did his best not to look sheepish. "Hopefully that's the end of it. Because I'm so tired of dealing with... Being the main target." He admitted quietly.
"Never again." Ironhide noted firmly.
Of course, Ironhide couldn't be sure of that, but he could be sure he did everything in his power to prevent it from happening again. It only bothered him that the Decepticons now had an object of unknown power within their grasp. it could mean something terrible, or as a prototype, could have easily mean that it was nothing. He could only hope with all his might that it was the latter of the two. For now however, he wouldn't worry about that, he had to get Ben medical attention, and to safety. And then hope that Aaron was safe as well. They would worry about what the Decepticons were after once that was done.
And Primus knew, they would.
