Chapter 8: Attack, Part Two

He was dead.

Crosshairs knew it the moment his opponent evaded the missiles at point blank range, rolling away at a speed that sent a chill in his spark; even Starscream could not have done that kind of advance maneuver, as skilled as he had been.

No, there were only a few who could. Most had already died during the Great War, but he knew at least one who could have survived—an elite flyer who had surpassed Starscream's ability in aerial combat, if not his cunning and brutality.

The aircraft vanished within a cloud. Crosshairs forced his OAC to an abrupt stop, hovering in the air. The damn thing lacked any radar, so he had to use his own sensors to track the Decepticon. But the bastard was good at concealing his signature, and all Crosshairs could see was an empty black sky.

Then he heard a boom, and the proximity sensors inside the OAC blared warnings. At least, those were still working. And not a moment too soon. He twisted the control stick, rolling away hard just in time to avoid a barrage of missiles that came from behind him.

How the hell did he got there so fast? Crosshairs thought, bewildered. He spun around for a moment, then he righted himself and continued in a straight path, the pesky flyer hot on his tail.

He grinned, feeling the energon flowing fast inside his frame. He always loved the thrill of a deadly pursuit, and he had not had this feeling since a long time ago, even if he was being hunted by humans.

Glancing at the rearview monitor, Crosshairs saw the Decepticon drawing closer, faster than he initially expected. It seemed that his opponent was too keen on bringing him down.

He swerved to avoid gunfire. But as quick as his reflexes were, a few grazed the rusty armor of the OAC. One shot took out a cannon, and another blew up the rear view camera, reducing his field of vision. Thankfully, the fuel tank was intact. But Crosshairs knew it was only a matter of time before that was taken out as well.

And then he would have bigger problems to worry about than lining a shot against his enemy.

But not that it mattered now. His goal was to lead threats away from the town as many as he could, and he had already fulfilled that; he was five miles out with one persistent Decepticon for company in a vast land of rock and dirt. The area was perfect for what he had in mind.

As he shifted the OAC to its full assault mode, Crosshairs's eyes gleamed with excitement.

###

Cade scanned the dark and foreboding road.

It had been five minutes since they escaped from the Stunticons, and so far, they had not encountered other enemies. But they couldn't lower their guard; more Decepticons still lurked somewhere in the town. The battle was far from over.

Bumblebee turned the corner, and Cade relaxed a little. He could already see the dark silhouette of the hotel where the others were hiding, as well as three massive shapes standing near the entrance. As they neared, Bumblebee's headlights bathed them in white light, and the shapes resolved into the towering forms of Canopy, Trailbreaker, and Longarm.

Alarm shot through Cade when he saw the smoking remains of a half dozen Decepticons scattered around them. Energon leaked from a collective of tiny holes in Trailbreaker's right leg, and Longarm was missing his winch, leaving a stump at his back.

"Cade!" Trailbreaker waved them over.

Cade was out of the door a second before Bumblebee stopped. He jogged toward the haggard-looking Autobot mechanic with concern, his bag bouncing behind him. "What happened?" he asked.

"Ambush," Trailbreaker said grimly. "Me and Longarm were on our way back here when these guys leapt out of the shadows. We had to fall back here."

"Are the rest safe?"

"Yes. Wheelie and Brains had arrived a while ago. Izzy wanted to come out and help, but we told her no."

Cade grunted. The spunky girl was capable, but she was prone to placing herself in extreme danger just to prove a point.

He looked around. The hotel was in the middle of a three-way avenue, giving them several directions to defend from. Drift and Bumblebee guarded the road they had come from, while Longarm faced the opposite road. Somewhere, Cade heard the low growl of Nightstalker as she stalked from the shadows.

This place was the second best defensible position in the town, but they could no longer rely on defeating the enemies here. Not with their current numbers and injuries.

Where were Hound and Sunstreaker? Where was Crosshairs? They had not contacted them since the battle began. Cade dreaded the implications of their silence, and it just proved how dangerous their enemies were. The Decepticons had seemingly singled out three of their best fighters.

"I'll get the others. We're getting out of here," he decided, starting for the entrance to the parking lot. If Hound and the others had been taken out, they had no choice but to leave the town.

He hurried toward the steel rollup. There was a console to the side, and Cade punched a code. The rollup grated and lifted, opening into the park's pitch-black tunnel. "Izzy! Jimmy! Come over here!" he said, shining a flashlight.

Several dark shapes moved below the sloping path. Jimmy came first, looking terrified and anxious, holding tightly onto his assault rifle. "Cade! What's happening?" he asked. Behind him were Izzy and Sqweeks, along with the rest of the group.

"Get to Canopy and Trailbreaker. We're leaving." Cade glanced behind him. Most of the Autobots had already transformed into their vehicle modes save for Bee and Drift who still stood on guard.

"Where are the others?" Isabella asked, worried.

Cade shook his head. "We lost contact."

He saw Izabella clenched her hands, saw the frustration in her face; a feeling that he shared. If only he could, he would try to find them. But that would be dangerous, and he could not leave the rest behind.

"Let's go," he said, shifting his bag to a more comfortable position. He had not taken more than three steps when they all heard the roar of an aircraft engine.

"Enemy incoming!" Drift shouted.

Cade looked at the sky in horror. The F-35 was back, streaking like a missile toward them. Drift and Bumblebee retreated near him, standing firmly to the front. Win or lose, they would hold the enemy at bay.

"Jimmy, take the rest and go," Cade said before taking cover behind a car. The aircraft flew fast until it transformed and landed heavily on the paved road, cracking the asphalt. He was sleek and tall, and something about him gave Cade the shivers. There was something round in his right hand. And with his left, he drew a long thin blade from one of his wings.

"Who is he?" Cade asked no one in particular. He did not like the cold red gleam of the Decepticon's eyes.

It was Drift who responded in a grim tone. "That is Thundercracker. Megatron's most elite air specialist." He shook his head. "I did not think he's still alive."

Cade tightened his grip on the gun he was aiming. Thundercracker was covered in shadows, so Cade could only see his silhouette. But he was big; bigger than Optimus.

Thundercracker approached slowly, deliberately, and as the light from Bumblebee's and Drift's headlights painted his black armor garishly white, the full extent of his menace came into full view. His face was cold and emotionless, and his crimson eyes stared at Cade with pure malice.

He stopped just at the edge of the light, close enough that Cade could see him throw the round object in his hand. It glinted with a green hue, and as it rolled across the road, battered and broken, only to stop several yards away, Cade felt his heart drop to his stomach.

The eyes had lost all its blue luster, and the mouth was frozen in a defiant scowl, but it was unmistakably Crosshair's head.

Blood roared in Cade's ears, and behind him he heard Izabella scream, "No!" He aimed the gun at Thundercracker's head and pulled the trigger with a yell.

Thundercracker swept his arm to shield his face, and the shell exploded without ever landing. But it was only a distraction. Uttering a bellow of defiance, Drift charged while Bee unloaded shot after shot at their enemy.

"Jimmy, take Izabella and go!" Cade shouted, eyes wild with fury. He heard the man yelling frantically, overlapping Izzy's protests, but there was no time to look back and make sure they were following his orders. The only sign that they did was the rumble of engines and Ramhorn's and Stripe's snorts and snarls, which rapidly grew indistinct as they finally fled.

A dark blur shot past him, and Cade saw Nightstalker leaping at Thundercracker, snarling. Drift exchanged a flurry of blows, but the Decepticon was equally skilled. He backhanded Nightstalker, sending her hurtling toward a building, then shot at Drift with an autocannon.

It was a cheap shot meant to distract the Autobot, who dodged easily. He slid across the ground, ending behind Thundercracker. Drift sprang to his feet and jumped, spinning once in the air to avoid Thundercracker's blade. With a ferocious cry, he swung his katana at the Decepticon's face.

Cade fired another shot, hoping to distract Thundercracker long enough for Drift to land a fatal blow. But he was too nimble for his size. He leapt backwards, his thrusters blazing. The sword passed harmlessly on empty air, Cade's shot missed, and Drift landed lightly on his feet.

Bumblebee charged at that moment, and so did Drift—a pincer attack. They swung at Thundercracker, fists and katana, working in seamless coordination. Drift blocked a strike, and Bumblebee threw a punch at Thundercracker's leg. It was the only part he could reach.

Thundercracker swiped at the Autobot scout with his free hand, forcing him to retreat before his punch could land. He swung at Drift, but the Autobot ducked under the blow then lunged at Thundercracker's chest. The katana connected with a ring, and a long but shallow gash marred the glossy black armor of the elite flyer.

Thundercracker stumbled, a surprise look on his face. His back faced Cade.

It was the opportunity Cade was waiting for; he must not miss this time. He aimed at Thundercracker's head once more and took a deep breath.

Before he could pull the trigger, an enormous object landed behind him, sending shockwaves through his body. Unbalanced, Cade lurched to the ground, dropping his gun. It slid across the asphalt, and he lunged for it with a curse, barely holding on to the gun's handle. His fingertips brushed against it.

Boom, came the horrible footsteps. Cade reached for the blaster with all his strength and twisted around to face his opponent, looming over him like a mountain. He braced the stock against a shoulder and pulled the trigger.

The blaster roared, but it was drowned by Blotzwing's scream of fury. The shell punctured his shoulder. Sparks flew, and the Decepticon screamed once more, clutching his wound. Cade scrambled to his feet, avoiding the energon leaking from Blitzwing's shoulder. It should not have been possible for him to damage the hulking bomber, but being so close to him, Cade saw the numerous other injuries he had. Blitzwing's armor was blackened with soot in several places, and the bent barrel of an autocannon protruded from his shoulder.

As the Decepticon flailed wildly, his legs gave in and he fell to one knee. Like a bolt of lightning, Nightstalker came out of the shadows and tackled Blitzwing to the ground, clawing at his head. She was barely a tenth of her enemy's size—Nightstalker looked like a mere kitten if Blitzwing had been a human—but that did not seem to deter her fierce assault. She climbed to his head like a squirrel and sank her fangs onto the base of his neck.

Blitzwing snarled, more out of annoyance than pain. His armor was too thick for Nightstalker to do any real damage, and anything she would do would just piss off the massive Decepticon.

Cade saw her abandon her attack and jumped down to the asphalt, her tail lashing out in the air. She hissed, and the mounted four-barreled gatling gun on her back blazed. The bullets struck Blitzwing's legs, but the Decepticon remained standing. Shaking his head, Blitzwing's baleful gaze focused on Nightstalker.

Drift's pained cry sounded nearby, and Cade returned his attention toward his and Bumblebee's battle with Thundercracker—a battle they were slowly losing. Drift lay sprawled on the ground, one of his legs lying ten meters from where he was. Bumblebee was still fighting Thundercracker, but he had already accumulated a number of minor damages in his frame. He would not hold for long.

Blitzwing's footsteps rumbled, drawing Cade's gaze back to him. Nightstalker had slinked off up the road, stopping fifty meters away from the Decepticon. Every time he approached, Nightstalker would continue along the road until she was at a safe distance, all the while firing several bursts from her gun. And though it barely did any damage, Blitzwing was clearly annoyed.

She was leading him away, Cade realized. Nightstalker was drawing Blitzwing's attention so that Cade could help Drift and Bumblebee.

He looked back again, saw Bumblebee tumble away from the slash of Thundercracker's sword, saw Drift crawling on the ground, reaching for his katana. Cade felt like he was being forced to choose; choose which of his friends he had to save.

His fists coiled, the veins bulging on his skin. Cade lifted the blaster, aiming for Thundercracker's chest. He was moving rather quickly for Cade, but a well-placed shot to distract him was all he needed. If he could do that, Bumblebee and Drift might be able to finally defeat him.

Sweat beaded Cade's forehead, and he could feel his heart pounding. His hands were cold and clammy. One misplaced shot could kill them all.

Behind him, Blitzwing's footsteps boomed once more. He had returned for him.

"Die!" Cade heard the Decepticon roar.

Tessa. Cade squeezed his eyes and pulled the trigger.

A loud boom blasted in Cade's ears, but he knew it was not the gun. The explosion sounded above him, followed quickly by another one of Blitzwing's roar of agony. Instinct took hold of Cade's body, and he bolted away moments before the Decepticon crashed to the asphalt, clawing at his chest. A smoking hole filled it.

"Cade!" Hound bellowed.

Cade's head snapped in the direction of his voice. There he was standing up the road, damaged but alive. Sunstreaker sped along the street, and matching his speed were Nightstalker, Ramhorn, and Stripes, their guns and cannons blazing. Blitzwing tried to stand up, but the bullets were preventing him.

Behind Hound were the rest of the team, hiding behind whatever cover they could find as more Decepticons charged from another road. Cade saw the Stunticons drawing their weapons, with a very angry looking Motormaster thundering across the asphalt.

Trailbreaker and Longarm charged ahead despite the disadvantage, and Canopy, though his expression was obviously scared, rained down covering fire. It was the first time Cade had seen him fight, and his inexperience was plain to see. He fired without thought, more fueled by fear than strategy, and his shots often missed. Thankfully, he did not hit any of his allies.

There was no way they could win this battle, Cade thought with grim certainty. The Decepticons blocked most of the escape routes, and many of the Autobots were injured. Bumblebee and Sunstreaker kept Thundercracker occupied, but Blitzwing was starting to recover again. He stood up, snarling in fury, swatting at Nightstalker and Stripes whenever they came too close. Ramhorn charged at him from behind, but Blitzwing sidestepped the attack, and Ramhorn went on for yards before circling back.

Bullets and shells flew everywhere. The night was filled with deafening sounds of explosions, lighting the world in a fiery storm. There were three battles all happening at once, and each one was a losing cause.

After a swift decision, Cade jogged to where Jimmy and Izabella hid. Sqweeks stood beside them like a tiny little guard, though what the diminutive Autobot could do, Cade was not sure. "Where have you guys been?" he asked Hound, ducking next to the concrete barrier that they had placed so many months ago. It was still intact, but not for long.

"Sorry," Hound answered with a shrug, reloading his blaster. "We had to shake off Blitzwing."

"We stumbled into him and Sunny outside the town," Izabella added. She was wild-eyed, but her expression was fierce and determined.

"And why are you here?" Cade glowered at her. "Jimmy, I told you to take her away."

Jimmy had an even wilder look as he turned his head in Cade's direction, all the while shooting blindly. "She insisted! I had no choice."

"I told him to go on if he's scared of coming back for you," Izabella said. "But he's too scared to leave alone."

"What? Of course not! You think I wanted to be here with all these shits going on? Who would want to be in the middle of a gunfight between big ass robots!"

"You're not even in the middle. You're hiding behind a concrete barrier."

"And so are you!"

"That's enough!" Cade shouted, resisting the urge to slide a hand across his face. They were almost at death's door and yet these two were fighting. He shook his head in disbelief and peeked over their cover.

Sunstreaker was still dueling Thundercracker, his twin swords flashing in the night against the Decepticon's massive and longer blade. He was nimbler than Bumblebee and far better at evading the attacks, but Thundercracker had the advantage of reach; no matter how hard Sunstreaker tried, he could not get close enough to land a blow.

Cade saw Bumblebee dragging Drift toward them, almost hauling him now with his injuries. The stump of Drift's missing leg trailed energon in the asphalt, dark blue in the night. One Decepticon soldier broke away from Motormaster's group and went for them, but Bee fired a shot from his plasma cannon without looking, taking off the mech's head in one go.

To the side, Trailbreaker and Longarm were managing to hold off the Stunticons. Motormaster battered the energy barrier with his axe, roaring in frustration when he could not make a dent. The rest of his team fired in an endless stream, filling the road with hundreds of discarded shells. And yet Trailbreaker held on while Longarm stood to his side holding a blaster, ready to shoot Motormaster once the barrier broke.

Bee and Drift were still a dozen meters away. Hound glanced in their direction and grunted. "Wait here. I'll go help them." He bounded after the two, reaching them within moments. He grabbed Drift from Bumblebee and slung the injured Autobot over his shoulder, then sprinted across the remaining distance while Bee brought up the rear.

Drift groaned when Hound lowered him gently to the ground beside Cade. "How are you feeling?" Hound asked.

"I feel like I want to take Thundercracker's head with my blade," Drift said, glowering with contempt for the Decepticon.

Hound grunted. "You and me both, buddy. But you won't be taking any heads with that leg of yours. Leave the fighting to us." He stood and ran back to Bumblebee, joining the fray once more.

"Of course. What else can I do?" Drift sighed, pressing his head on the hard surface of the road.

"You okay there, big guy?" Cade asked, concerned. He could sympathize with Drift's frustration of not being able to do anything; it was the same feeling he had had when his wife passed away. That sense of helplessness while everything went wrong around him. Only his love for Tessa managed to pull him away from that.

"I'm fine, Cade. I'm just—"

The siren was loud even amidst the cacophony of battle, blaring fast and urgent. Drift stiffened at once, while Cade looked around, trying to find where the sound was coming from. Hound yelled nearby, "Hostiles inbound!"

"Look!" Izabella pointed behind them.

Cade swiftly faced that direction, and his heart sank. Two more vehicles were approaching, racing along the road together. One was a Dodge Challenger from the 70s, its hood topped with ivory-white horns, glossy red in the dark. The other, a black and silver police cruiser, sleek and fast.

There was no escape route left. They were trapped.


Oh, boy. Two months. That's how long it's been since my last update.

A lot of things happened in my life during those two months. My grandfather passed away, and I couldn't write anything for two weeks. But when my muse finally returned, the initial drafts were bad, the writing is not up to my standards, and just… bad overall. I had to do three versions before I was satisfied, with this chapter being the third and final version.

Then my original novel got published locally, so I got busy promoting it. Your typical author stuff, though I am really elated that it has a physical copy now. I don't know if Shopee does international shipment, but you can find my book by searching "The Reaper of Iremia".

Now let's talk about this chapter. Yes, I just killed Crosshairs. No, this is actually not part of my plot outline. In fact, this entire chapter isn't even part of my plan for this fic, and it just kinda wrote itself.

The reason is quite simple: I wanted to raise the stakes just a little bit. I want the Decepticons to feel scary and dangerous and capable this time. Killing Canopy was supposedly my original plan, but I decided to change it because it doesn't fit with what I had in mind. So, I chose Crosshairs instead.

Regarding Thundercracker, he's a composite of my own take on his character, the version of Starscream portrayed in Transformers Armada, and the Starscream from War/Fall of Cybertron. I wanted a badass flyer for the Decepticon, someone who will give our heroes a hard time, and Thundercracker has always been my first choice alongside Blitzwing. He'll play a relatively major part in this story, and I have big plans for him in the long term.

Anyway, that's about it. My regular schedule is back, so expect another chapter in 15-20 days.

Please Read & Review!

Until next time!