Chapter 22-Forcefield Guy
Megatron watched the hologram, as red filled the highway map. Seeing who had come out victorious was impossible.
"Have we put down the autobot threat yet?" He demanded. "I gave you ample resources, Barricade."
"You did my lord. But something just came through and cut my flight squadron apart."
Megatron frowned, a slight twitch in his optic.
"Something?" He asked.
"Someone." Barricade corrected nervously. "I'm trying to get optics on them, they just took out a whole platoon."
Megatron let out a frustrated sigh, and rubbed his nasal ridge.
"There forces are decimated, Barricade, the bulk of their military is gone, who is this someone?!" He demanded.
Ultra Magnus limped forward, ahead of the other autobots, his wounded form leaving a trail of blue and red armor on the highway as he walked.
"Orion Pax. Optimus Prime. Whatever miracle has allowed you to be here...you still have to answer for what happened on the Citadel." He stated.
"And I will." Optimus replied, walking up to Ultra Magnus, as smoke billowed past the two. The other, battered autobots watched tensely.
"Once Cybertron is out of Megatron's hands. But right now we need to retreat while we have an opening. There's no time to waste."
Optimus Prime was much larger than Orion Pax, but still shorter than Ultra Magnus, who looked down at him with skepticism, optics closely analyzing the rebuilt mech.
"You're right." He agreed. "We've been given a chance. We cannot waste it. Autobots, fall back!" He commanded.
"What is goin on with that voice man...?" Jazz asked, as he limped past Optimus, looking up at him in awe.
"I don't know. It's been a...strange experience." Optimus replied.
Arcee came over and patted Bumblebee on the head.
"Hey little guy." She said with a smile. "How was Altihex?"
Bumblebee grimaced.
"Rusty."
The autobots transformed, and made their way back toward the bunker as fast as they could, energon leaking behind them as they drove across the heavily damaged, laser riddled highway.
Decepticon jets streaked in behind them.
"Target the head of the convoy." Barricade commanded, driving with a squad of enforcers on the street below. "DO NOT LET THEM GET AWAY!"
Blitzwing and Ramjet were at the head of the squad of fliers.
"After you, Blitzwing." Ramjet offered.
"Thanks buddy." Blitzwing replied, firing a missile from his undercarriage.
It streaked downward, over the fleeing autobot vehicles, directly toward Optimus's semi truck mode.
"ORION, LOOK OUT!!" Magnus shouted.
The mech accelerated, his large alt mode lurching forward, and bumping Optimus's aside.
The missile slammed into his folded shoulder cannon, knocking him onto his side, and sending him sliding toward the edge.
He painfully transformed, his arm shooting out to grab the edge of the speedway, but momentum carried him over the edge.
"MAGNUS HOLD ON!" Trailbreaker shouted, changing form and leaping towards him.
He landed on his belly, and deployed a forcefield, which stopped Magnus's fall in mid-air.
Arcee changed form and ran up to the forcefield specialist, as he held Magnus in place.
"Can you pull him up?" She asked.
Trailbreaker looked at her, the strain evident in his face.
"I can barely hold him right now."
Arcee's optics looked down to Magnus, with alarm.
"Magnus, can you jump?" She asked.
Ultra Magnus let out a groan of pain.
"Go...go!" He commanded. "I can survive the fall. You need to get back to the bunker. I'll slow them down."
Optimus walked over, and Arcee looked at him.
"We can't let him fall, the cons will be waiting for him down there." She pleaded.
Optimus and Magnus linked optics.
"Prime or not...this is your fight now!" Magnus shouted up at the mech. "I don't know who gave you this second chance, but don't waste it, Optimus. Shut him down!"
"I will. I swear to Primus." Optimus replied with a firm nod. "Stay strong, Ultra Magnus, we will be back for you!"
Trailbreaker let out a grimace, and his forcefield flickered, then failed.
"I'm sorry." He breathed.
Ultra Magnus dropped, slamming against the street below.
"Autobots, we need to get clear!" Optimus commanded, turning and changing form, leading the convoy ahead. Arcee took one last glance down at her mentor, then joined them.
Ultra Magnus watched the squad of enforcers surround him. He could hear the sound of the autobot convoy fading away in the distance.
Barricade walked confidently into his field of vision.
"Hey Magnus. Been a while." He said, kicking the mech across the face, as more decepticons surrounded him. "Who woulda thought you of all people would end up on the wrong side of the law?"
Ultra Magnus glared up at him.
"You're not the law, Barricade. You never were." He spat. "You're dirty as they come, and no false title granted by a rogue faction will ever change that."
Barricade narrowed his optics, then planted his foot in the mech's chest.
"By order of Megatron, i hereby place you under arrest for crimes against Cybertron." He declared. "Take him away."