Chapter 13

Betrayal

To Stripes, this was turning into a much-too-eventful day as he raced across London with Bumblebee to the British Navy Museum after being told about Merlin's Staff. He tore through the streets at a breakneck pace, catching up to Bumblebee as they approached the museum.

"So, what's the plan?" Stripes asked Bumblebee.

"We have to get that staff!" Bee said. "Which means we need to get to Merlin's tomb! Cogman and Sir Edmund say the HMS Alliance will get us to the tomb, then it's up to us!"

"Oh, goody!" Stripes said. "We get to play "Tomb Raider" in real life!"

"You played too many video games when you were human…" Bee said as they came up on the museum. They transformed after Cade and Vivian were on board, and Jumped onto the sub as it jumped it's rails!

"Going down!" Stripes said as they plunged into the water.

Some Time Later…

The HMS Alliance emerged in an air pocket in Merlin's Tomb. Though the "Tomb" itself seemed to be some sort of cybertronian spaceship. He followed Bee inside, as Cade and Vivian had taken a different route.

"Reminds me of Quolopec's tomb in the lost city of Vilcabamba..." Stripes mused. "Just like with the Scion..."

"Stripes, enough of the Tomb Raider references..." Bee sighed.

"Awww! Why?" Stripes whined playfully.

"Because this is serious, with everything that's been going on here."

"I know, Bee. I know." Stripes said as they approached the tomb's inner sanctum. "I'll try to take this more seriously. Just trying to lighten the mood..."

That's when they heard gunfire ahead. And Vivian screaming.

"Move!" Bee snapped. Stripes and Bumblebee dashed forward, running up as they heard the clanging of giant swords, metal on metal joining the rapid rat-a-tat-tat of the machine guns.

Then, suddenly, there was a voice both of them recognized.

"Give me the staff!"

"Is that who I think it is…?" Stripes said. Both him and Bee increased their pace.

When they stepped into the tomb's inner sanctum, there stood Optimus Prime, taking the Staff from Vivian as he towered over her, Cade, and the TRF forces.

Stripes was stunned. "...Optimus?"

Optimus turned to Stripes and Bee, his optics glowing a purple hue as he pointed at Stripes.

"For my world to live, yours must die..."

It was then that it dawned on Stripes. Optimus had turned, just like in his dreams! The nightmare was coming true, and this was only the beginning!

"Optimus, no!" Stripes snapped. "Why are you doing this? Why?! Why of all the times, now?! I trusted you! I trusted you, you damn hypocrite!"

Optimus' hand then changed into blaster mode, and he fired.

Stripes felt the shot go straight through his body, barely missing his spark chamber as he fell over. The same sentence kept looping through his processors as Optimus stepped over him, and walked out.

"I trusted you..."