A/N - (Everything between the last chapter and this one progresses unchanged.) This is the scene where Optimus, Ironhide, Bumblebee, Sideswipe, Skids, Mudflap and Jolt are on the move on an unidentified highway, moving to intercept a cluster of Decepticons. It's slightly expanded here to include Ratchet and the Arcees, and several moments created from scratch leading up to the famous Forest Fight.
A red and blue semi-truck with flames, a black GMC pickup trick, a green Hummer H2 ambulance, a black and yellow Camaro, a silver corvette stingray, a blue Chevy Volt, an orange Chevy Trax, a green Chevy Beat, and three motorcycles, one pink, one blue, and one purple, drove down an empty highway in the eastern United States as fast as they legally could. Optimus, Ironhide, Ratchet, Bumblebee, Sideswipe, Jolt, Mudflap, Skids, and the three Arcee sisters had detected multiple Decepticon life signals and were moving to intercept them before they could cause any major damage. They had received several calls from NEST, but were so busy moving to intercept the enemies that they didn't have time to answer them. As the road led into a clearing with no buildings in sight for miles, the Autobots braked to a stop, kicking up dust all around them. Optimus transformed into robot mode as another call from NEST came in.
"NEST, this is Optimus Prime. Proceed."
"I take it you guys have all ready detected the new Decepticons." Said Lennox.
"Indeed. We're at the halfway point between New York and Philadelphia. Ratchet, can you determine how many foes are in our vicinity?"
Ratchet transformed into robot mode. Giving the surrounding area a thorough scan, Ratchet found the answer.
"My scanners detect five Decepticon life signals. Two in New York, three around Philadelphia. The ones in Philadelphia appear to belong to foes much bigger than the ones in New York."
Ratchet's eyes projected a hologram of the layout of New York and Pennsylvania. Two small red dots were in New York while three big dots were close to Philadelphia. A cluster of sky blue dots was in the halfway point between them.
"Jolt, you and the Arcees take the two in New York. The rest of us, we're going to Philadelphia. Lennox, the New York team may require some assistance, you guys go there. I will let you know if my team in Philadelphia will also need it."
"Copy that. Lennox out!"
"Autobots, roll out!" Said Optimus as he and Ratchet transformed back into vehicle mode and drove back onto the road with the other Autobots in tow. Jolt and the Arcees continued forward on the main road while everyone else took an exit that brought them toward Philadelphia.
(Everything from Alice attacking Sam to Grindor capturing him, Mikaela and Leo in the car progresses unchanged. This next scene picks up right before they're dropped into the warehouse.)
The seven Autobots drove into a dense forest not far from the warehouse, noticing a helicopter with a Decepticon life signal coming from it drop a car into it. (The car crashing through the roof to Megatron throwing Sam onto the floor progresses unchanged.) They transformed into robot mode and came closer, still staying under the cover of the trees. The helicopter transformed into a towering robot taller than all of them and landed on its feet by the front of the front of the warehouse. Ratchet scanned him.
"That one's Grindor."
"That guy looks pretty big." Said Skids.
"Where are the other two, and are they even bigger?" Asked Mudflap.
"They're inside that building. One of them is Starscream." Said Ratchet.
"Starscream, hm. I've been itching to have a rematch against that bird-legged freak." Said Ironhide as he deployed both his arm cannons.
"Wait, how is this possible?"
"What, Ratchet? How is what possible?" Asked Sideswipe.
"The third signal, it's Megatron."
"The Decepticons must have used the last fragment of the Allspark to ressurect their leader." Said Optimus.
(We cut back to Megatron pinning Sam to the floor with his ugly, uneven fingers and cut back to the Autobots right after he orders Scalpel to examine him.)
"We gotta get in there." Said Sideswipe.
"I think you forgot the big guy blockin' our way." Said Skids.
"And what about the other two big guys that'll be waitin' for us in there? Including Megatron! What gives, I hear he was a bad boss! Why bring him back?!" Said Mudflap.
"You tell me, but something tells me it was more-so out of proving their loyalty than because they really wanted to have him back." Said Ironhide.
Bumblebee pointed to Ironhide and nodded.
"So what's the plan, Optimus?" Asked Sideswipe.
"Grindor is bigger than all of us, but only I can handle Megatron." Said Optimus.
"I don't think Grindor will be that big of an issue. Size isn't everything. Look at Demolishor. Several times taller than both of us, and we took him down without getting scratched." Said Ironhide.
"Well based on your descriptions, he didn't have many weapons outside of his size and strength. Grindor looks very similar to Blackout, who was pretty well-weaponized." Said Ratchet.
"Bumblebee, you and I will get into the warehouse. But first, we need a diversion." Said Optimus.
(We cut back to Scalpel messing with Sam and cut back to the Autobots right after he says that they need his brain.)
Optimus and Bumblebee ran off to the side while Ironhide stepped out of the cover of the trees and Ratchet, Sideswipe, Skids and Mudflap stayed where they were. Ironhide fired both his arm cannons at the same time, striking Grindor in his right shoulder and forearm. He turned around to see the source of the blasts and saw the five Autobots. Grindor growled as he deployed a spinning rotor-weapon on his right hand and a gattling gun on top of his left and charged towards the Autobots. Ratchet, Sideswipe and Mudflap deployed their guns while Skids simply held up his fists. The Autobots opened fire, but Grindor deflected most of it with his spinning rotor. The huge decepticon then returned fire, forcing the Autobots to duck out of the way. Ratchet deployed his circular saw blade over his left arm and ran forward, spinning it at max speed as Grindor deployed a cannon in his chest. (Said chest cannon looks similar to the one Blackout deployed but never used in the first film.) Ratchet jumped off a boulder and spun through the air, severing the cannon with a single swing of his arm as he landed on his feet behind Grindor and the cannon fell to the ground, sparks flying off of it. Grindor turned around, rotors still spinning, but Ratchet pushed it to the side with his saw blade. Skids fired a grappling hook that connected to the top of Grindor's primary rotors and leaped into the air, reeling himself in as the Decepticon fought Ratchet. Sideswipe retracted his guns and deployed his swords, speeding forward on his tire feet to assist Ratchet as Skids landed on top of Grindor and started punching him in the face with his big hand.
"Take that! And that! And that! And-!"
After landing a few punches, Grindor grabbed Skids with his left hand, pulled him off the top of his body, and used like a flail by throwing him into Ratchet, who only barely stopped his saw blade right before the smaller green Autobot flew into him, making him crash onto the ground. Grindor turned around and threw Skids at the others, but Ironhide and Sideswipe dodged him, making him only hit Mudflap.
"Who screwed up now?" Asked Mudflap.
Sideswipe stuck his left blade between Grindor's spinning rotors, making them stop mid-spin. Using his other blade, he sliced across his right thigh, making him bend down a little. After charging his left cannon, Ironhide ran towards Grindor and opened fire, blasting several small pieces of armor off his back. Grindor lifted his rotor weapon out of Sideswipe's blade and kicked the smaller Autobot in the chest. He rolled off his tire feet and hit the ground on his back. He then spun around and struck Ironhide across the chest, making him grunt in pain as he fell to the ground. At the same time, though, Ratchet recovered and, now dual-wielding guns, opened fire. Grindor returned the favor, and Ratchet had to duck behind a tree to avoid his gattling gun.
While everyone else kept Grindor occupied, Bumblebee and Optimus reached the building. Optimus climbed onto the roof while Bumblebee approached the side of it.
(We cut back to Sam demanding to know what they mean about his brain, the skirmish in the factory progresses unchanged, we cut back to Grindor and the other Autobots right after Megatron flees after getting blasted out of the building.)
As Bumblebee drove off in one direction, Optimus ran in another, holding Sam, while Megatron drove towards the active fight between Grindor and five other Autobots. Re-directing his cannon-like turret, Megatron fired a blast at Ironhide and Ratchet, sending both Autobots flying back into some trees, knocking both of them over from the impact. Megatron sped away while Grindor dealt with Skids, Mudflap and Sideswipe all at once. Grindor saw Sam get into Optimus, who had since transformed into vehicle mode, and drive away in another direction at a very fast speed. Realizing that he was distracted, Grindor transformed into helicopter mode and flew away, ignoring further firepower from Mudflap.
"Where's he goin'?" Asked Sideswipe as he retracted his blades.
Bumblebee sped towards the group in vehicle mode, holding Mikaela and Leo.
"They're after him!" He said through his radio.
"Come on, Optimus needs our help!" Said Ironhide as he and the others transformed into vehicle mode and drove after Bumblebee.
(We cut to the forest where Megatron shoots at Optimus and the two transform. The fight progresses as normal, though with the inclusion of a few deleted scenes. (This extended version can be found on youtube.) We cut back to the other Autobots right after Optimus dies.)
Everyone except Bumblebee immediately transformed and ran the rest of the way, seeing Sam running from Megatron and a one-armed Starscream could only mean that Optimus had been defeated, or worse. Ironhide and Ratchet deployed their guns.
"Autobots attack!" Shouted Ironhide as he opened fire on Megatron.
Ratchet quickly backed him up. Normally, Megatron could've handled them both pretty easily, but being significantly wounded from fighting Optimus greatly weakened the fight within him as well as his aim. Ironhide effortlessly dodged a blast meant for him as Sam made a break for Bumblebee.
"Bumblebee, get them out of here!" Ordered Ratchet as he continued shooting at Megatron.
Though one blast from Megatron's cannon destroyed his left set of shoulder lights, Ratchet quickly shrugged it off and continued firing, pelting Starscream in addition to Megatron. Starscream flew away, holding onto his severed arm. Megatron fired one more blast that didn't come close to hitting any of the Autobots before he flew after him, but not without taking even further damage from Ironhide and Ratchet.
The six Autobots traveled a great distance before they finally came to a stop. Ironhide and Ratchet transformed into robot mode.
"Bumblebee, keep an eye on Sam. Shield your signal in case Megatron or any Decepticon tries to get him again. While we're at it, we should all shield our signals so they can't find us." Said Ironhide.
"Ironhide is correct. Skids, Mudflap, you two join Bumblebee and keep an eye on the other two humans. The rest of us will get back to base. Maintain a low profile, don't transform unless no one else is around." Said Ratchet.
Ironhide and Ratchet transformed back into vehicle mode. They, along with Sideswipe drove down the road in one direction while Bumblebee, Skids and Mudflap went down another direction.