Chicago, Illinois
It is currently midnight. The sky is pitch-black. The city is still in ruins and there are no lifeforms in sight. No humans, animals or Transformers in sight. But then a silver 2017 Aston Martin DB11 drove the wreckage, strangely in a hurry. There was nothing attacking or chasing after the vehicle but still it drove extremely fast. Suddenly a missile flew down to the ground nearly hitting the car. After that another missile hit the ground, clearly aiming for the car. Then another missile struck the ground followed by another, and another and another until a barrage of missiles came crashing down to the ground causing the car too transform. The vehicle turned out to be Cogman who connected to his transtector body and began running away. Cogman being a headmaster was able to turn his head three sixty degrees, an ability that worked out for him as he saw a massive Cybertronian ship orbiting in front of him followed by several Orbital assault crafts flying out of the ship and heading towards him.
"Oh shit, oh shit!" Cogman yelled turning his head back and running as fast as he could. The assault crafts continued to pursue him and in an act of self-defense. Cogman turned his head around and fired a missile from his mouth hitting one of the Orbital assault crafts. More assault crafts joined in the chase and Cogman knew that he no time to keep firing and instead chose to run. The assault crafts opened fire slightly damaging Cogman's transtector body before two direct missiles hit Cogman blowing off the right leg and left arm of his Transtector body. Cogman then collapsed, the assault crafts stopped and simply hovered in the air.
"Aww, Bloody Hell!" Cogman groaned shaking off the fall, he then looked up and gasped as he saw the ship flying closer to him. The ship lowered itself and the hatch opened up which allowed an army of Decepticon soldiers to exit and run towards Cogman. Following them was the Decepticon Strategist "Straxus". Straxus slowly walked towards Cogman, surprisingly intimidating the sociopathic headmaster. When Straxus got close enough, he stepped on the Transtector's chest and bent his knee to lower his body so then both he and Cogman can stare at each other eye-to-eye.
"Uh…can I help you?" Cogman stuttered and then asked.
"Are you Autobot or Decepticon?" Straxus asked.
"Well you see it depends…." Cogman stops talking, getting startled by Straxus angry and clearly unamused stare.
"It…it depends on which side has a higher kill count!" Cogman said, clearly joking around. Straxus then grabs Cogman by the head, "You think I'm joking?" Straxus growled.
"No of course not!" Cogman replied back.
"STRAXUS!" A voice yelled from behind, Straxus untightened his grip on Cogman.
"Drop him!" The voice said, Straxus groaned and then slammed Cogman's head to the ground. Straxus then moved back and from behind him, a larger more intimidating Decepticon walked by. Cogman was even more terrified.
"Oh f*ck me!" Cogman said when he saw the Decepticon walking by. The Decepticon grabbed the Transtector's chest and lifted him up. Cogman now had to stare at this Decepticon.
"Who are you?" The Decepticon snarled.
"My name is Cogman and the rest of my information is classified, you creep!" Cogman said mocking the Decepticon.
"I am Sixshot, commander of the Cybertronian Injustice Division and I'm looking for my leader Megatron-Do you know where he is?!" Sixshot asked.
"Megatron? I think that rusty, ugly bloke died in Tokyo!" Cogman said unaware that Megatron actually died in Wisconsin. The news angered Sixshot who refused to believe it.
"You LIE!" Sixshot yelled slamming Cogman against a wall and then dropping him.
"Oh bloody hell!" Cogman said shaking off the impact.
"FINISH HIM OFF!" Sixshot yelled.
"Sideways! Wreckloose!" Straxus yelled at the two Decepticon assassins to kill Cogman.
"Yeah screw this!" Cogman said disconnecting from the Transtector body and transforming back into his human-sized robot form. Cogman then ran off, Sideways and Wreckloose opened fire but continued to miss.
"Ugh….FORGET ABOUT HIM!" Sixshot yelled.
"We need to find more of our fellow Decepticons!" Sixshot said.
"Sixshot, I found several Decepticon readings not far from here, they might know where Megatron is!" Straxus said.
"Very well, follow that trail!" Sixshot said.
"Yes sir!" Straxus replied but then turned around to see a damaged tank under the debris. Straxus scans and take it as an alternate form. Sideways and Wreckloose find two Audi R8s and they scan them. Sideways takes the form of and silver and black Audi while Wreckloose scans the green and black striped Audi.
N.E.S.T Headquarters, Wisconsin.
Hot Rod sits outside the headquarters looking up into the sky, mourning the loss of his brother.
"Hot Rod!" Hot Rod hears his name called, he turns around to find both Hound and Optimus standing behind him.
"Yes?" Hot Rod asks.
"Would you come inside, Sideswipe and the soldiers finished building a training room for young bots like you, he needs you to try it out!" Hound says.
"Yeah…okay!" Hot Rod said before turning his head back.
"Listen up here kid…." Hound was about to shout at the young Autobot before Optimus stops him.
"Let me talk to him!" Optimus says excusing Hound.
"Fine!" Hound says walking back inside. Optimus then walks by Hot Rod and sits next to him.
"It appears that something is bothering you!" Optimus says to Hot Rod.
"Yeah like that's not painfully obvious!" Hot Rod said with an annoyed tone in his voice. Optimus didn't get mad, he understood how upset Hot Rod was and he knew what was troubling him.
"I know that you miss Bumblebee!" Optimus says, Hot Rod raises his head up and pulls out the hammer from his back, the same hammer that once belonged to Bumblebee.
"First Cliffjumper, then Hurricane and now Bumblebee, I'm losing friends and brother left and right!" Hot Rod said lowering his head down and placing his hand over his face. Optimus puts his hand on Hot Rod's shoulder.
"I know how it feels to lose someone you truly care about, Hot Rod!" Optimus says but Hot Rod doesn't lift his head nor reply.
"Ultra-Nova, Sunstreaker, Sentinel, Ironhide, Jazz and many more, all good friends of mine that have perished, one of which I considered my brother!"
"I can't believe you (Hot Rod pushes Optimus Prime's hand away, gets up and drops Bumblebee's hammer), I just can't believe you. After everything Megatron has done, after he nearly killed our planet, nearly killed you and killed my own brother, you still feel pity for him!" Hot Rod yells.
"Why just WHY DO YOU DO THIS? MEGATRON HAS NO RIGHT TO BE REMEMBERED THAT WAY! HE DESERVES TO BE REMEMBERED AS A VILE AND DISGUSTING MONSTER WHO NEARLY KILLED US ALL!" Hot Rod continued yelling at Optimus. Optimus just sat there and proceeded to let Hot Rod yell at him. But before Optimus could say anything, Hot Rod gets interrupted by a voice from a far yelling at them.
"HOT ROD!" the voice is yelled. It was a thick British accent and a recognizable one. Optimus got up while Hot Rod turned around and they noticed Cogman running towards them.
"Cogman?" Hot Rod said.
"At your….service!" Cogman said catching his breath.
"Cogman, old friend! What the hell are you doing here?" Hot Rod leaned down and asked Cogman.
"I came here with some sad news but before first….Where is Bumblebee?" Cogman asks, Hot Rod and Optimus then look at each other with a sad look in their optics.
"He's dead isn't he?" Cogman asks now realizing that the young scout has passed. Hot Rod turns away from Optimus and lowers his head down.
"I'm so sorry!" Cogman walks by Hot Rod and places his hand on Hot Rod's head.
"Optimus!" Hound yells as he, Crosshairs, Break-Apart and Minedigger go outside to check on him.
"Is everything alright, boss?" Hound asks.
"Yes everything is alright with him!" Cogman says. The four Autobots then look down at the headmaster giving him the attention.
"As for me, I was ambushed by a swarm of Decepticons in Chicago!" Cogman says.
"Decepticons?" Minedigger says.
"A swarm?" Crosshairs says.
"Yes, I was attacked by a few Decepticon soldiers and then I was confronted by their commander, calls himself….Sixf*ck or Dipshit, I don't even remember!"
"Sixshot?" Break-Apart asks with a startled tone in his voice.
"Yes, yes Sixshot!" Cogman replies.
"Oh Primus!" Break-Apart whispers.
"You and this Sixshot know each other?" Crosshairs asks.
"Sixshot was the commander of the Cybertronian Injustice Division, a task force of Decepticons that are sent to annihilate any Autobots traveling across space and searching for other alien beings to align with!"
"Mine and Trench's crew, the Nexus-Nebula Scout Team was his last target, he hunted us for solar cycles and wiped out most of our crew until only me, Trench and Canopy were left. Our last encounter was on the planet "Anubis" in the Nexus system where we shot his ship down and he alongside his soldiers crashed into the planet's atmosphere!" Break-Apart explains his history with Sixshot.
"We all thought that Decepticon creep died when he crashed!" Minedigger said.
"Well it looks like he repaired his blood ship and survived and for all we know he might replace Megatron as leader!" Crosshairs said yelling at the two Autobots.
"So Megatron is dead?" Cogman asks.
"Yes, he died in Little Manitou Falls!" Optimus said.
"With Sixshot and his army around, this might bring the Decepticons back into action, this war is apparently far from over!" Optimus said to the Autobots fearing that Sixshot might help the Decepticons rise once more.
"Prepare everyone, we are going to hunt down Sixshot and stop him before he unleashes any more chaos!" Optimus orders the Autobots.
"Will do boss!" Hound says as he Crosshairs, Break-Apart, Minedigger and Cogman run back inside the base.
"Hot Rod!" Optimus grabs Hot Rod by the shoulder who was following Hound and the others. Hot Rod stops in his tracks and turns around to face Optimus.
"I need a quick word with you!" Optimus says to Hot Rod.
"Oh Primus, what now?" Hot Rod groans in annoyance. Optimus tries not to control his emotions and begins speaking to the young Autobot.
"I heard about how you are destined to become a knight one day!"
"So what? You think I'm not worthy?" Hot Rod pushes Optimus' hand away and moves slightly back.
"I never said that Hot Rod!" Optimus replies, Hot Rod looks to the right avoiding eye contact with Optimus.
"I just wanted to tell you that I'm happy for you and I'm quite sure that you're honored by such a title!" Hot Rod slowly starts turning his head, looking back at Optimus.
"But I'm afraid you are too reckless, you need to control yourself if you are to become something as honorable and respected as a knight!" Optimus explains to Hot Rod that he is worried for him. Hot Rod wants to yell again but knows that Optimus is right and tries to stay calm.
"You need to learn how to be honorable and respectful to those around you!" Optimus says opening up his chest plate to reveal the Matrix of Leadership.
"That is why I want you to be my successor!" Optimus says pulling out the Matrix and giving it to Hot Rod.
"Are….Are you serious?" Hot Rod asks with a shocked tone in his voice.
"I fear I am not going to be around forever and I must pass down the Matrix to another Autobot!" Optimus explains.
"So you chose me? Why?" Hot Rod asks while holding the Matrix in his hands.
"You need to learn about honor in order to become a knight, I figured that by becoming the leader of the Autobots, this would be the only way for you to learn!" Optimus explains.
"But Optimus, I don't know if I'm ready for such a responsibility!" Hot Rod said feeling reluctant to succeed Optimus. Optimus places his hand on Hot Rod's shoulder.
"When we finish off Sixshot, I will teach you everything you need to learn about how to be a leader!" Optimus says making Hot Rod feel more confident.
"I won't let you down!" Hot Rod says as he opens up his chest plate and puts the Matrix inside his chassis.
Chicago, Illinois
Sixshot and the remaining members of the Injustice Division continue searching for the surviving Decepticons until they stop in their tracks when they notice that the energon signals have been lost.
"Why are we stopping?" Sixshot asked.
"The energon signals are gone!" Straxus replied.
"What!?" Sixshot yells transforming out of his mechanical wolf form and into robot mode.
"Search every single ruin in this forsaken city, I wanted those Decepticons found!" Sixshot orders the Decepticon soldiers piloting the Orbital assault crafts above him to go locate the Decepticons. Suddenly the two seekers "Thundercracker" and "Skywarp" fly back to Sixshot with another jet following them. The two seekers transform and the jet accompanying them transforms as well revealing itself to be Nitro.
"Nitro, I see you are one of the survivors!" Sixshot says.
"I'm guessing you are looking for us, follow me and I'll show you our hideout!" Nitro says as he and the seekers fly off. Sixshot transforms into his jet mode and follows Nitro with Straxus, Sideways and Wreckloose driving after them. They follow Nitro towards to his hideout where Shockwave, Soundwave, Berserker, Mohawk, Barricade, Hooligan and Onslaught are currently hiding. The four Decepticons transform into their robot modes and go inside to regroup.
"Soundwave, old friend!" Sixshot said.
"By the Primes, you're alive!" Soundwave replies, shocked that Sixshot was still alive after disappearing the Nexus system.
"I am not alone, almost all of my crew have survived and are on their way!" Sixshot replies.
"I wish to see Megatron!" Sixshot said but ends up getting no response from any of the surviving Decepticons.
"Well?" Sixshot asks getting rather impatient.
"Barricade!" Shockwave says getting the enforcer's attention.
"Yes Shockwave!" Barricade walks by Shockwave and begins to pull something heavy towards Sixshot. When Barricade manages to pull it out and slide towards Sixshot, he looks down and realizes that it is a coffin. He opens it and is shocked and angered by what he sees. Inside the coffin, lies Megatron's mutilated corpse. His battle damage is still visible, his right leg is still severed from his body, his left optic is currently out of its socket and there is a gaping hole in his chest from which Optimus impaled him with his sword. Sixshot was angered by what he is currently seeing and pushes the coffin aside.
"Megatron was one of the many casualities, most of our finest warriors died alongside him….We are all that is left!" Nitro explains the situation to Sixshot. Sixshot growls in anger and clenches his fist.
"Prime will pay for this, I SWEAR TOO IT!"
"My brothers, we are done hiding from the Autobots. We are going to hunt them down and destroy them!" Sixshot said telling the Decepticons their new task.
"And I'll make sure of it, as your new…leader!" Sixshot said self-electing himself as the new leader and successor to Megatron.
TO BE CONTINUED….
And that was Chapter 30, hope you guys like the new chapter which is also technically the first chapter in the second arc. Let me know what you guys think of Sixshot, Straxus and all the other new characters and I hope you guys are excited for the next Chapter.